Popular
by lbd89
Summary: A/U starting during Special Education. Rachel stands up for herself and transfers to Carmel. As the star of Vocal Adrenaline, she is suddenly popular. But, Shelby is a teacher at Carmel. Shelby/Rachel. Puck/Rachel.Kurt and Rachel friendship
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This is the prologue for a story idea I have. It's only setting the story up. It's not indicative of the main characters. Everything that happened in the show up until Special Education happened in this story and it is AU starting during Special Education. In short, Rachel stands up for herself and transfers to Carmel. As the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline, she is the most popular girl at Carmel. Puck and Kurt join her shortly after. Puck gets expelled from McKinley and Kurt's dad realizes he can't afford the tuition at Dalton. The main relationships will be Puck/Rachel and Shelby/Rachel. Jesse St. James will play a role later on. Shelby hurt Rachel, so Rachel will not want a relationship with her at first even though they keep running into each other at Carmel. But, as Rachel gets more and more popular and starts acting out to fit in, Shelby will step in. R&R please. I'll continue if people like this idea and are willing to be patient for another chapter or two as the relationships start to develop.

**Prologue**

Rachel Berry has always wanted to be a star. She has a pathological need to be popular. She craves attention and praise. She couldn't be her mother's daughter and not be a talented performer. Years of training fine-tuned her natural talent. She's the star of McKinley High School's Glee Club, New Directions. Her boyfriend is the male lead, Finn Hudson. At first glance, she's living her dream. But she's not. Being in New Directions is a nightmare for Rachel Berry. The other members don't like her. Some even hate her. They bully her. Torment her. Finn doesn't defend her. He even had sex with the biggest bully. She wants to be friends with them. But, she's not there to make friends. She's there because it's the first step on the road to stardom. Even though they don't like her, all of the members of New Directions will admit that she is the best singer they have. And she still didn't get any solos for Sectionals.

Angry and bitter, Rachel walks into the choir room, a piece of grey duct tape covering her mouth. She knows it will attract attention. Make a scene. She hopes it will make a point.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Will asks, exasperated.

Sitting down in a chair in the back of the choir room, Rachel rips the tape off her mouth so she can answer. "I'm not doing anything. You've silenced my talents. I'm merely protesting. My talents are wasted in this club. My star shines too bright and I think you're threatened by it," Rachel says before carefully putting the tape back in place.

"Take that off! I'm tired of this, Rachel! You have a terrible attitude! You're a lousy sport and it is not okay anymore!" Will yells, frustrated.

Taken aback, Rachel looks like a wounded puppy. She can count on one hand the number of times Will Schuester has raised his voice. When she recovers, she stands up. "Well, I'm upset! I'm furious about this!" Rachel yells. She looks at Finn. "About a couple of things actually," Rachel says.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed, but you know you could also make the choice to be happy," Will says flippantly.

After class, Rachel goes into the auditorium and sits down on the piano bench. She's more comfortable here, on stage, an instrument at her fingertips than in her own home. For her, there's nowhere she'd rather be than on stage. It's the only place where people appreciate her. Where she stops being an annoying know-it-all and becomes a star.

Rachel looks up from the piano when she hears footsteps. "Hey, Rachel. I've been looking for you," Kurt says, approaching the piano.

"No, don't bother spying on me to get a leg up because the only solos I'm getting for Sectionals are in my mind," Rachel says, bitter.

"Actually I was hoping that you could help me. I've been sitting in my car for over an hour waiting for Karofsky to make a Mickey D's run. I've been invited to audition for a solo," Kurt explains.

"Why should I help you? I mean you're our competition," Rachel says.

"Because even though we hate each other, we've had our moments. And I could use your expertise. And no one knows how to kill a ballad quite like you. You are as brilliant and talented as you are irritating," Kurt says.

"Considering that this might be my only chance to sing for a little while, I'll give you a couple tips," Rachel agrees, smiling slightly. "So what did you have in mind?" Rachel asks.

"I've settled on Celine Dion's classic, _My Heart Will Go On,_" Kurt replies.

"Oh no. You need something much more personal than that. I mean this is about you," Rachel says dismissively. "Do you ever fantasize about your own funeral?" Rachel asks.

"No," Kurt replies, staring at Rachel.

"I do. Finn throwing himself into the grave out of grief and all of the heartfelt speeches and regrets," Rachel murmurs.

"That's insane," Kurt says.

"Clearly no one in the Glee Club appreciates me so is it so wrong for me to fantasize about them finally realizing how amazing I am, but it being too late? And there's only one song that expresses those feelings. I'm sure that it's in here somewhere," Rachel says. Picking up the sheet music, she finds _Don't Cry For Me Argentina_.

At Sectionals all of the members of New Directions are in the green room, nervous and excited, as they wait to go on. Except Rachel Berry. She didn't get any solos. Even though she's the best singer in New Directions. The thought of Quinn as the female lead infuriates Rachel.

And, when Rachel sees Finn sitting in an armchair unperturbed, she knows they couldn't be any further apart even though they're together. He's not angry that they're not the leads. He doesn't know, or doesn't care, how much it hurts Rachel. He doesn't understand her well enough to know how much she's hurting. Which reminds her…he hurt her, too, by having sex with Santana and lying about it. The lying only made everything worse. It gave Santana ammo to use against Rachel. And she did. She told Rachel the ugly truth in the middle of Glee rehearsal. It was humiliating. Of course, Finn apparently told other people, too.

"You told Kurt," Rachel says, looking at Finn. She doesn't need to explain. He knows what she's talking about.

"I don't remember. Maybe," Finn says.

"About Finn and Santana? No, I think I told him," Mercedes corrects.

Taken aback, Rachel stares at Mercedes. How did Mercedes know? Why didn't Mercedes tell her? "Who told you?" Rachel asks.

"Me. I think Brittany told me. Or maybe it was Puck," Quinn says.

"Yeah. It was me," Puck confirms.

Blown away, Rachel looks around the green room. "Everyone knew about this but me?" Rachel asks.

"Pretty much," Tina replies.

"Nobody tells you anything because, a, you're a blabbermouth and, b, because we all just pretend to like you," Santana says, smirking.

"That's not true. I kind of like her," Puck says. He's the only one to disagree. To defend her. Not even her boyfriend steps up to defend her.

Finn stands up. "Look, you were dating another guy so you don't really have a right to be pissed at me about it, okay? And, fine, I shouldn't have lied about it, but that isn't what you care about. You care about the Santana of it all," Finn says. He doesn't sound sorry. Not that he hurt her. Not that he lied.

"Oh, who are you right now?" Rachel asks.

"Best green room ever," Lauren says, enjoying Rachel's pain and suffering.

"You know what, you guys are going to have to find somebody else to mindlessly harmonize in the background because I'm not going on stage with him!" Rachel yells.

Rachel storms out of the green room. She knows they need twelve performers to compete. She feels guilty for leaving. She doesn't know why. None of them feel guilty about hurting her.

Guilty, Rachel goes back to the green room. She needs a minute before she faces them. She knows they will attack her the second she steps into the room. From her spot just outside the green room, she can hear them talking about her.

"I'm going to kick that dwarf's ass," Santana mutters.

"Then she can perform with a black eye," Quinn says, laughter in her voice.

"Boy, you need to go talk to her. She's your girlfriend," Mercedes says.

"I don't know if she's my girlfriend anymore," Finn replies.

"Please, Man Hands has been chasing after you for a year. She's not going to break up with you," Santana scoffs.

"No, I mean I don't know if I want her to be my girlfriend anymore," Finn explains.

"I don't know what you ever saw in her," Quinn says.

"If Finn's not going to go talk to her, we need to find a new member," Puck points out.

"Everyone's replaceable. Even Rachel," Mercedes says.

It's not the first time a member of Glee Club has said Rachel is replaceable. But, Rachel decides it's going to be the last. If she's so easily replaced, she's going to let them find a replacement. In the five minutes before New Directions performs. As she walks away, she knows the few members of Glee Club that don't already hate her will hate her now.

Still wearing the white and black dress that all the female performers in New Directions are wearing, Rachel goes to the back of the theater and waits. The masochistic part of her wants to watch the performance she's no longer a part of. It hasn't even been a year since she stood in the same spot watching Vocal Adrenaline perform _Bohemian Rhapsody_. Watching Jesse St. James on stage. She knew her relationship with Jesse wasn't real. It was a diabolical plot to destroy the heart of the competition. To destroy her heart. But, what she felt for him was real. And, seeing him on stage with Vocal Adrenaline shot Rachel right through the heart. Rachel feels a different kind of hurt now. She's not brokenhearted. But, she is losing something that means so much to her.

"And now, for our final performance of the program, from McKinley High, the New Directions," the announcer says.

Copying Rachel's dramatic entrance at last year's Sectionals, Sam steps out from the back of the theater, the spotlight following him, as he sings the opening lyrics of _I've Had The Time Of My Life_. Audience members turn around to watch him walk down the aisle toward the stage. A few seconds later, the spotlight is on Quinn as she makes her entrance, also from the back of the theater, and joins in singing. As they sing, they make their way up on stage. When the red velvet curtains open, Rachel sees the other members of New Directions in the background dancing. And, hidden from view behind the others, one student that isn't in Glee Club. Jacob. The blogger. Rachel's stalker. And apparently Rachel's replacement. But, he doesn't sing. Rachel doesn't know it now, but the only reason he's on stage is because Puck threatened him with bodily harm.

"Shouldn't you be up there?"

Startled, Rachel turns and finds herself face-to-face with Dustin Goulsby. "You're Mr. Goulsby, the director of Vocal Adrenaline," Rachel says, surprised and nervous.

"And you're Rachel Berry, the star of New Directions. I've heard Will Schuester dances to the beat of his own drummer, but no one told me he's tone deaf," Dustin says.

Looking at Dustin quizzically, Rachel frowns. She's not going to defend Will Schuester after the way he's treated her, but he's not tone deaf.

"If he's not tone deaf, there's no excuse for giving Blondie the lead," Dustin explains, looking at Quinn. "She's good. A little sharp. But any choir director worth their salt can tell she lacks the vocal training that you have," Dustin says.

Rachel Berry doesn't think before she opens her mouth. If she did, she might realize that Dustin Goulsby is the last person she should be talking to about this. But, she needs someone to talk to and he's there. So, she opens up to him. She tells him everything he wants to know and more.

"I never thought I'd say this, but it's probably good that Mr. Schuester didn't give me the lead. I don't think I could sing a duet with the male lead right now. He's my boyfriend. He had sex with Santana. The worst part is that everyone knew but me. No one told me. They don't like me. They don't appreciate my talent. My boyfriend doesn't even defend me," Rachel vents.

Dustin smiles slightly. "That's their loss. I'm in the market for a new female lead," Dustin says.

Disbelieving, Rachel looks at Dustin, raising her eyebrows. "Why? I mean Vocal Adrenaline won Nationals last year. And Sunshine's with you. She's good," Rachel points out.

"After Sunshine's solo at our invitational, the bloggers said Vocal Adrenaline lost a step. She's good. But she's not a star. I need a star to replace Jesse St. James. You're the only star that shines as bright as Jesse in all of Ohio," Dustin says.

The mere mention of Jesse St. James brings back memories. Jesse performing _Another One Bites The Dust_ in McKinley's auditorium to funkify New Directions. Jesse cracking an egg on her forehead. Shelby and Jesse holding hands as they waited for the winner of Regionals to be announced. Jesse looking straight into Rachel's eyes as he held the trophy. Rachel closes her eyes and looks down.

Rachel doesn't trust Vocal Adrenaline any further than she can throw their former male lead. Not when Jesse broke her heart. Not when Shelby discarded her like yesterday's garbage. So, she has a hard time taking Dustin at his word.

Rachel doesn't know what to do with the offer. There's nothing to keep her in New Directions. No friends. No allies. Not even an opportunity to showcase her talent. Not when Will won't give her any solos.

Does Vocal Adrenaline really want her? Or is it another trick to give them a leg up on the competition? Rachel has so many questions, but she won't believe the answers so she doesn't ask them.

All she knows is that she doesn't want to go crawling back to New Directions. To the so-called friends that make fun of her mercilessly. To the boyfriend that made her look like a fool. To the teacher that plays favorites. Rachel has never been one of Will Schuester's favorites.

Rachel wonders if she could start over at Carmel. Make friends that like her for who she is. Be popular. But, can she have a fresh start at Carmel? It's been less than a year since Vocal Adrenaline egged her, since her mother said goodbye to her. Not knowing if Dustin knows what went down last year, Rachel treads lightly.

"Does everyone in Vocal Adrenaline know about this?" Rachel asks.

"Yes. My performers are used to being the best. They've won the last five consecutive National titles. They know they won't win this year. Not with Sunshine. They told me about you actually," Dustin replies.

Shocked and confused, Rachel is silent for a moment. The same people that humiliated her…want her? But, she thought they hated her. And then she realizes, even if they hate her, it's not any different from how the members of New Directions feel about her. The only difference is that Dustin is promising her solos. So, she can join Vocal Adrenaline and get solos or she can stay in New Directions and harmonize in the background. Either way, she's hated.

"Does Shel- Ms. Corcoran have anything to do with Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel asks, nervous.

Dustin smiles slightly. "I'm the director of Vocal Adrenaline. Shelby is a music teacher at Carmel. Everyone in Vocal Adrenaline is in her class," Dustin explains.

Rachel sighs slowly. Her mother doesn't want to be her mom. Shelby Corcoran doesn't want to be a part of her life in any way, shape or form. Not as a teacher at McKinley. Not as a co-director of New Directions. Not even as a friend. Rachel isn't going to invade Shelby's space. It's not because she's above inserting herself into someone else's life. After all, she inserted herself into Finn Hudson's life. It's because it hurts too much to know her mother doesn't want her and there's nothing she can do to change Shelby's mind. Shelby rejected her daughter, yet easily accepted Quinn and Puck's daughter as her own. Time has passed, but the hurt is still there.

"I appreciate your offer, but I have to decline," Rachel says.

"When my students told me about you, they told me about your connection to Shelby. Look, I can understand if you don't want to be in your mother's class," Dustin says. Rachel looks down, embarrassed. "We can work something out. You can be in an independent study with me," Dustin suggests.

Rachel looks at the stage, where New Directions is performing without her, and then back at Dustin. "Yes, I'd like to take advantage of your offer," Rachel says.

After New Directions leaves the stage, Rachel waits for the award ceremony. She watches as the winner is announced. New Directions. Rachel inhales sharply. Smiling, Will accepts the trophy. Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest, frowning, when she notices that Finn and Santana are holding hands.

Rachel Berry always wakes up early to work out. The next day, she gets up even earlier. She's meeting Dustin at McKinley to clean out her locker and then he's going to the office at Carmel with her. Freshly showered after a half hour on the elliptical machine, she stands in front of her walk-in closet, looking for the perfect outfit to wear on her first day at Carmel. She doesn't want to stick out like a sore thumb. She wants to fit in. Remembering how much attention she got from boys when she dressed like Britney Spears, Rachel chooses something similar, yet slightly more appropriate. A white button down shirt and a short denim skirt.

Rachel gets to McKinley early enough that no one is there unless they have to be. The hockey team and swim team have an early morning practice. Dustin is waiting for Rachel in the main hallway. He falls into step beside her, walking the familiar path to her locker. He waits patiently as she takes down pictures and puts everything in her backpack. She picks up her textbooks.

"I can get those," Dustin offers, taking the heavy books from her.

"Thank you," Rachel says, smiling slightly.

As they walk to the library to turn the books in, they pass Will's office. Rachel freezes. Part of her feels like she should tell him in person that she is transferring to Carmel. But, she realizes she doesn't owe him an explanation. He's taken countless solos away from her, turned a blind eye to other students bullying her even when it was in his classroom. She doesn't owe any of them anything. Saying goodbye would only give them an opportunity to insult her, yell at her. Make her feel even worse than she already does. If Jesse can leave without saying anything to anybody, so can she.

After they turn Rachel's textbooks in, they start retracing their steps to the main entrance. Students are starting to filter into the school. Rachel looks down, just wanting to get out of there without any confrontations. She doesn't see Karofsky walking toward her, a slushie in his hands. She gasps when she the icy blue drink hits her face. Shocked, Dustin stares helplessly. Rachel wipes slushie from her eyes and looks up at Dustin, embarrassed. In that moment, Rachel Berry knows she's doing the right thing for her.

"What the hell?" Dustin asks.

"I got slushied," Rachel replies. Dustin stares at her blankly. "Everybody hates Glee Club here. The popular kids slushie us," Rachel explains. She doesn't add that she's been slushied more than anyone.

"You don't have to worry about that kind of thing happening at Carmel. Vocal Adrenaline students are cool," Dustin says.

Dustin walks Rachel to her gold Toyota Prius. It's a hybrid. Wanting an environmentally friendly car, Rachel researched hybrid options and presented her findings to her dads before her sixteenth birthday. Dustin opens the door for her.

"I'm going to go home and change," Rachel says, looking at her soiled clothes. "I'll meet you in the office?" Rachel suggests.

After a quick shower, Rachel puts a clean white button down shirt and a black miniskirt on. When she gets to Carmel, Dustin is waiting for her in the office.

"You just missed your dad. He filled out all of your paperwork, but he had to go to work," Dustin says.

"I know. I just spoke with him on the phone," Rachel says.

"We're going to talk to your counselor and get your schedule," Dustin says. He knocks on the guidance counselor's door and Rachel follows him into the small office.

"Hi, Rachel. I'm. Mrs. Bradley," the guidance counselor says.

"It's nice to meet you," Rachel says. Confident and mature, she extends her hand and shakes Mrs. Bradley's firmly. She sits down across from Mrs. Bradley. Dustin stands beside her, a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I enrolled you in all the core classes you were taking at McKinley. Geometry, Biology, European History, English Literature. You're in Vocal Adrenaline so you'll take Ms. Corcoran's Aural Skills class," Mrs. Bradley says, looking at her computer screen.

Nervous, Rachel looks at Dustin. "Actually-" she starts.

But, Dustin intervenes on her behalf. "Actually, Rachel is going to be taking Aural Skills as an independent study course with me," Dustin says.

"Oh. Okay. You are all set," Mrs. Bradley says, printing off Rachel's schedule.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that has shown interest in this story. I have an idea of where I want to take this story, but I'm open to your ideas as well. I'm still setting the story up in the early chapters, so this chapter has a lot of character introduction and background. I'm beginning to introduce the key players in Vocal Adrenaline. I know a lot of readers don't like to read about original characters and I prefer not to write them, but I've tried to make the characters interesting. I'd love to hear your impressions of them. Depending on your feedback, I can use them only when necessary to move the story forward or I can continue to include them actively. I promise there will be more Shelby/Rachel and more Puck/Rachel in the next few chapters.

**Chapter 1**

When Rachel walks out of the main office, she feels like she's stepping into her new life. It's her first day at a new school. Her new choir director is beside her. She has a freshly printed schedule in her hands. But, the second Rachel steps into the hallway, she's faced with an old enemy.

Haylee. Senior at Carmel High. Member of Vocal Adrenaline. Friend of Jesse St. James. She's a good singer. An even better dancer. She's smart. Quick-witted. Sarcastic. Her parents want her to apply to Yale. Major in business. But she wants to try her luck in New York. Haylee's not one of the ones that egged Rachel, but she was there when Vocal Adrenaline funkified New Directions. She's the glue that holds Vocal Adrenaline together. The voice of reason when Giselle is out of control.

"Rachel, this is Haylee. She's going to show you around," Dustin says. He leaves Rachel alone with Haylee.

"Hi," Haylee says, smiling.

"You're in Vocal Adrenaline," Rachel says.

"What tipped you off? The sweatshirt that says Vocal Adrenaline?" Haylee says sarcastically.

Rachel frowns. What was she expecting really? She should have known the members of Vocal Adrenaline wouldn't be nice to her. After all, she knows what they're capable of. But, they wanted her. She thought that maybe they'd be civil. Professional. Appreciative.

"I think I can find my own way," Rachel says.

"Wait. I'm sorry," Haylee says, stopping Rachel before she can walk away. "Look, you don't know me so you don't know my sense of humor. I'm kind of sarcastic," Haylee explains.

"It's okay. I actually saw you at Regionals. And in our auditorium when you guys sang _Another One Bites The Dust_. You're good," Rachel says.

"Thanks. And, uh, sorry about that," Haylee says, grabbing Rachel's schedule out of her hands and starting towards Rachel's first class.

"At least you didn't egg me with the rest of Vocal Adrenaline," Rachel says, falling into step beside Haylee.

"We're not all like that. Giselle is a bitch. To everyone. For no apparent reason," Haylee says, trying to get Rachel to smile. "And with you she had a reason," Haylee adds.

"What? Just because I was the competition?" Rachel scoffs.

"No. Because Jesse loved you. Giselle was greener than Elphaba with envy," Haylee explains.

"Our whole relationship was a diabolical plot to destroy the heart of the competition before Regionals," Rachel mutters.

"I'm sorry. Are we talking about the same guy? Ego the size of Texas?" Haylee says, smirking. "He didn't see you as competition. He didn't see _anyone_ as competition. Jesse thinks he can win any competition with his hands tied behind his back. I don't know all the details of your relationship, but I know Jesse and I can guarantee you that it had nothing to do with Regionals," Haylee says.

Rachel shakes her head. If she weren't on Jesse's turf, she would have told Haylee exactly what she thinks of Jesse St. James. He's heartless. Incapable of love. But, she is talking to one of Jesse's former teammates. Maybe even one of Jesse's friends. Haylee is defending Jesse. Which is more than most of Rachel's teammates ever did for her. Haylee's loyalty lies with Jesse. Rachel knows Haylee's not going to take her side. So, Rachel remains silent.

They walk the rest of the way in companionable silence. Haylee makes several stops as other students say hi to her. Jocks. Cheerleaders. It seems like everyone knows Haylee. Haylee comes to a stop outside of Rachel's first class.

"This is your first class. I have English right across the hall. I'll meet you right here after class," Haylee says.

Rachel nods her head and then walks into the classroom. While Rachel is going to her first class, Puck and Finn are sitting in Principal Figgins' office. Will and Sue are standing behind them.

"These students vandalized the ice skating rink," Principal Figgins says.

Will frowns. "That doesn't sound like my kids," Will says.

Sue snickers. "William, I think the obscene amount of hair products in your hair has finally damaged your brain. These are the same students that slashed the tires on twenty-six Range Rovers last year. This complete disrespect for other people's property is clearly becoming a pattern. No one in Ohio will be safe until we ship these miscreants off to military school," Sue says.

"What exactly happened?" Will asks.

"These students painted profanities and an obscene image of Mr. Karofsky and Mr. Azimio engaging in sexual intercourse over the ice," Principal Figgins replies.

"Guys, is this true?" Will asks.

"Yeah, I did it and I'm proud. All I did was step up and be a man. Those puckheads got what was coming to them," Puck replies.

Will sighs. "The hockey team has been bullying my kids all year," Will says defensively.

"Be that as it may, I can't have the hockey team playing on that ice. We have to melt the ice and make new ice before their next game. The water bill alone is going to be astronomical," Principal Figgins says.

"Look, we'll pay you back. The Glee Club can have another bake sale," Will suggests.

"That is not good enough. Sue is right. This is not the first time these students have vandalized private property," Principal Figgins says, tapping their files. Puck's file is thicker than a textbook. "Mr. Hudson is suspended until further notice and Mr. Puckerman is hereby expelled," Principal Figgins says.

"Expelling Puck could ruin his life. Please don't do this," Will pleads.

"I'm sorry, William. This decision has been made," Prinicpal Figgins says.

As they leave the office, Sue stands in the doorway, blocking Will's exit.

"You're going to have even more time to primp once your Glee Club comes to an end," Sue says.

"We're going to miss Puck, but we can win Regionals without him," Will says.

Sue smirks. "I know. But you'll be laughed off the stage without one Rachel Berry," Sue says.

"What are you talking about, Sue?" Will asks, frustrated.

"I saw Rachel and Dustin Goolsby cleaning her locker out this morning," Sue replies.

Will groans. The Glee Club needs at least one new member to be eligible to compete. And, as much as he hates to admit it, they need Rachel if they're going to win Regionals. They're going up against stiff competition. He's disappointed in Rachel. Even angry. And he's furious with Dustin Goolsby. This is the second singer Goolsby has stolen from him. His anger simmers for the next few hours. It reaches its boiling point at lunchtime. So, Will gets in the car and drives to Carmel.

Will walks into Dustin's office. He freezes momentarily when he sees Shelby sitting next to Dustin, looking at sheet music. He remembers when Shelby told him her reconnection with Rachel wasn't a plot to mess with New Directions. He trusted her. He even liked her. He feels like she stabbed him in the back.

"Will, what are you doing here?" Shelby asks.

"I came to talk to Dustin," Will replies. His expression hardens. "But maybe he's not the one I should be talking to. I should have known you were behind this," Will says.

Shelby stares at Will, raising her eyebrows. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're talking about," Shelby says, an edge to her voice.

"Oh, I think you do. You know, your timing is impeccable. Last year, you mess with Rachel's head before Regionals. Then you don't talk to her for months. And now you get her to leave us high and dry right before Regionals," Will fumes.

"What? Rachel quit New Directions?" Shelby asks, shocked.

"She quit his show choir. And joined mine," Dustin explains.

Shelby knows gossip spreads like wildfire in high schools. She's willing to bet her former students have told their new coach about her connection to Rachel. But, all they know is that Rachel snuck into a Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal last year and announced that she was Shelby's daughter. They don't know what happened. And Shelby doesn't want to explain. But, she also doesn't want Rachel in her school. In her class. She knows she's not Rachel's mom. She'll never have the bond with Rachel that she has with Beth. She missed sixteen years of Rachel's life. Instead of being her daughter, Rachel is a virtual stranger. And it kills her. Seeing Rachel every day, having that constant reminder that Rachel doesn't need her, is too great a burden to bear.

"Rachel's going back to New Directions where she belongs," Shelby says.

Confused and surprised, Dustin frowns. "Rachel belongs in Vocal Adrenaline. Where her talent will be appreciated. Where she has a team that carries their own weight. She can lead Vocal Adrenaline to a sixth consecutive National title," Dustin says.

As they talk about Rachel, Rachel eats lunch with the girls of Vocal Adrenaline. She had no intention of eating lunch with them. She wanted to put off seeing Giselle.

But Haylee wouldn't take no for an answer. So, Rachel reluctantly joined them.

Rachel met Lauren. Junior at Carmel High. Member of Vocal Adrenaline. She sings well, but her passion is dance. She looks like a prima ballerina. Tall and skinny. Her raven hair is almost always up in a bun. She's a ball of fire. Energetic. Passionate. She has dance classes before school, she's in honors classes and she rehearses with Vocal Adrenaline until midnight. She talks a mile a minute. She seems nice enough.

Lauren is always with her best friend. Andrea. Junior at Carmel High. Member of Vocal Adrenaline. She's a good singer. A merely okay dancer, as Dakota Stanley constantly reminds her. She hates that man with passion. She's not crazy about Shelby either. The harsh criticism gets to her. Eats away at her confidence. She doesn't want to do it anymore. But her parents were both members of Vocal Adrenaline in their glory days. This is what they've always wanted for her. And she can't say no. She's a people pleaser. She wants to make others happy with her. Even if making them happy makes her miserable.

The only one that isn't nice is Giselle. Senior at Carmel High. Member of Vocal Adrenaline. She's had a crush on Jesse since the first time she laid eyes on him. When she was a junior, she was the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline. She's good, but she's not good enough. Jesse carried their performances. She knows she can't win competitions fair and square. So, she plays dirty. She doesn't care who gets hurt. She looks out for number one.

"Do you know what New Directions is doing for Regionals?" Giselle asks.

Rachel shakes her head. "No. We just won Sectionals," Rachel says. She realizes she should have said "they." She's not a part of New Directions anymore. She feels a hint of sadness. "I mean _they_. _They_ just won Sectionals," Rachel corrects. "They won't start working on a set list for Regionals right away. Mr. Schuester always waits until the last minute. I have to practically beg him to stop dragging his feet," Rachel explains.

"I don't get it. What do they do in between competitions?" Lauren asks, confused.

"Well, Mr. Schuester gives an assignment every week. We recently sang duets," Rachel replies.

"We only take songs for a spin if Mr. Goolsby thinks they'll be good when we compete," Haylee says.

"Mr. Schuester is more worried about it being fun for everyone than about winning," Rachel explains.

"He's never going to win with that attitude," Haylee says.

"He's never going to win, period. Not as long as we're the competition," Giselle says, smirking.

"Well, he's definitely not going to win now that we have Rachel," Haylee says.

After lunch, Rachel goes to Dustin's office for her independent study. Her hand is poised to knock when she hears Will's voice. She hears enough to know he's talking about her. Her initial shock soon turns into anger. He's trying to ruin everything for her. Without knocking, Rachel throws open the door. She stands in the doorway, momentarily frozen, when she sees that Shelby is there, too. Rachel didn't see this coming. When she transferred to Carmel, Rachel knew she ran the risk of running into her mother. But, she didn't expect it to happen so soon. When she recovers, she glares at Will.

"Mr. Schuester, why are you here?" Rachel asks.

Will looks directly at Rachel. "Rachel, why are _you_ here? I know you're upset that you didn't get any solos at Sectionals, but you can't just transfer schools. You don't live in this school district," Will says.

"Carmel accepts out-of-district students," Dustin cuts in.

"Carmel accepts out-of-district _athletes_ and _singers_," Will mutters.

Knowing Will is right, Dustin smirks.

"Clearly you don't appreciate me. Everyone in Glee Club was awful to me. Mercedes said I'm replaceable. If I were you, I would start looking for a replacement. You're wasting your time here. I'm not going to come back," Rachel says.

Shelby sighs. "Rachel, you have to go back to New Directions. This isn't right," Shelby says.

Angry and hurt, Rachel looks straight into her mother's eyes. It's the first time she's looked at Shelby since she walked into Dustin's office. What she sees is a woman that never wanted to see her again. A woman that told her she wasn't her mom, yet is telling her what to do. And what Shelby wants Rachel to do is leave. Go back to New Directions. Stay away from Carmel. Away from Shelby.

"I want you to know that I heard everything you said loud and clear. I'm not doing this to bond with you. I'm not even in your class. So you don't have to worry," Rachel says.

Shelby opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. After all, there aren't any words that can make things right. No apology that will persuade her daughter to forgive her. No explanation that will make Rachel understand. She knows it's her fault. It's her doing. She deserves the coldness. The anger.

Will shakes his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Rachel," Will says.

As Will and Shelby leave Dustin's office, Will sees Puck walking down the hall.

"Puckerman?" Will asks, surprised and confused.

Puck looks at Will and nods his head in greeting. "Hey, Mr. Schue. What are you doing here?" Puck asks.

"I was just talking to the coach of Vocal Adrenaline and Rachel," Will says. He sighs. "She transferred to Carmel this morning. What are you doing here?" Will says.

"It was this or Dalton and there's no way in hell I'm wearing a uniform," Puck mutters. "Is Berry staying here or going back to McKinley?" Puck asks.

"Rachel is staying. I don't know why I'm surprised. It's not the first time she's quit because she didn't get a solo. I just didn't think she'd take it this far," Will says, angry.

"You think that's why she jumped ship?" Puck asks.

Will nods his head. "She didn't sing at Sectionals because Quinn got the solo," Will replies.

"That's not true. She was going to perform, but everyone was treating her like a piece of garbage in the green room," Puck says.

Will softens slightly. "I had no idea. But I don't care if you guys weren't treating her very nicely. That doesn't make what she did okay. She's not a team player," Will says.

"She can be a team player. Finn and Rachel threw that duet competition," Puck says.

"Why would she do that? That doesn't sound like Rachel," Will asks, disbelieving.

"You really think she didn't know that was offensive? Berry's a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. They wanted Sam to win so he would stay in Glee," Puck explains.

Will stares at Puck and knows he's right. Rachel is intelligent. A straight-A student in all honors classes. And her best subject is music. She doesn't do well one-on-one. That's why she doesn't have many friends. But, she knows how to win a crowd over. When the Glee Club has performed at assemblies in front of the entire student body, his former star had students that hate her eating out of the palm of her hand. If Rachel wanted to win that duet competition, she would have. The only time Rachel put the good of the team before her own personal gain, he punished her by giving the solo to Quinn. He knows he made a bad call. A mistake that the Glee Club will pay for. A few hours later, he has to tell his students that they've lost Puck and Rachel in less than twenty-four hours.

"Bad news, guys. Puckerman's been expelled and Rachel transferred to Carmel," Will announces.

"Wait, did she forget that they egged her?" Mercedes asks.

"I've never liked her, but now I really want to go over to Carmel and punch her in the face," Quinn says, angry.

"Please, RuPaul won't be able to stay away from Finn. Ten bucks says she'll be back within a week," Santana says, smirking.

"Can money talk?" Brittany asks. Everyone stares at her for a moment.

"I don't think she's coming back," Artie says slowly.

"I've always known she's selfish and I still liked her, but I never thought she was this selfish," Finn mutters.

As Will breaks the news to New Directions, Rachel is going to her first rehearsal as a member of Vocal Adrenaline. She pauses just outside the auditorium and leans against the wall. She's been there before. Looking for Jesse after Kurt and Mercedes gave her an ultimatum. Stop seeing Jesse or she'd be replaced. Spying on Vocal Adrenaline's rehearsal with Quinn and Mercedes. That was when she first realized Shelby Corcoran was her mother. Asking Shelby if she could help with her Lady Gaga costume. Nothing good came of her other trips to this auditorium. She takes a deep breath. When she's ready, she opens the door and walks into the auditorium.

"What is she doing here?" Sunshine asks, angry.

"I'm here for rehearsal," Rachel replies, frowning at Sunshine. She stands in front of everyone. "I want everyone to know that I'm happy to be here. There's so much I can learn from Mr. Goolsby. I think Vocal Adrenaline will benefit from my talent," Rachel says.

Sunshine looks directly at Dustin. "I came here because she wasn't here," Sunshine says.

"You're here because you got a green card and a condo compliments of Vocal Adrenaline," Dustin corrects.

"She sent me to a crack house!" Sunshine yells. Members of Vocal Adrenaline snicker.

"I apologized and I got you new sheet music," Rachel points out.

"I don't trust her. I don't think I can sing with her," Sunshine says.

"No, you don't _want_ to sing with her," Dustin corrects. "And she's our new lead. So you can sing with her or you won't be singing at all," Dustin says firmly.

"I don't think so," Sunshine mutters.

Watching Sunshine leave, Rachel wonders if her new teammates will be as angry as her old teammates were when she scared Sunshine off. "I'll talk to her," Rachel offers.

Dustin holds up a hand, stopping Rachel. "Anyone else want to leave?" Dustin asks. He hears a chorus of "no" and nods once. "We need to get started. We need to figure out what song to perform at the assembly on Friday and Sectionals is in a week," Dustin says.

"If I may, at McKinley, we always gave the people what they wanted at assemblies. Sex. When we did Britney, everyone loved it. The crowd literally went wild," Rachel says.

"Britney? As in Britney Spears? We don't do pop," Giselle scoffs, contempt and disdain in her voice.

"Rachel's right. Sex sells," Michael says.

Surprised, Rachel stares at Michael. He's the last person she expected to support her. Michael and Giselle were the ringleaders when Vocal Adrenaline egged her. Of course, Rachel doesn't know the politics of Vocal Adrenaline. It's Michael's second year as a senior. He's the same age as Jesse. He lived in Jesse's shadow for four years. Shelby gave all of the solos to Jesse St. James. Michael never had a chance. It made him resentful. Bitter. Angry. A dangerous combination.

"Britney's not the only artist to sing about sex. We could do Gaga's _Love Game_," Lauren points out.

"AC/DC's _You Shook Me All Night Long_," Haylee suggests.

"We owned _Highway to Hell_," Giselle says, approving the idea of doing AC/DC again. She looks at Rachel. "But I don't know if our new lead can pull AC/DC off," Giselle adds, flashing a fake smile at Rachel.

Rachel's chin juts out indignantly. "I assure you I am more than capable of singing AC/DC," Rachel says.

"We're going to do AC/DC at the assembly. Let's move on to Sectionals. I know we only have a week before Sectionals, but I'm changing the set list. I chose the songs we've been rehearsing with Sunshine in mind," Dustin says.

"You're throwing out set list out for her? We've been working on it for months! All of that work was for nothing!" Giselle complains.

"If you don't think you can get the new set list down in time, you can sit this one out," Dustin says.

"I can get it down," Giselle mutters.

"I think Rachel should do _Funny Girl_ for the solo," Lauren suggests.

"No rendition of Barbra ever comes close to the original," Dustin says.

"Then you've never heard Ms. Corcoran sing _Funny Girl_. It's her go-to song when she's demonstrating something to us. She does it justice. And Rachel sounds like her," Haylee says.

A part of Rachel delights in the comparison. She knows Shelby is good. She knew it from the first moment she stepped foot into a Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal. But, she's also visibly irritated at being likened to her mother. The mother that has shared her wealth of knowledge with countless teenagers, yet declined Rachel's proposition to afford her own daughter the same opportunity. Shelby doesn't deserve any of the credit for Rachel's mastery of Barbra's songs. After all, Rachel's impromptu performance of _Don't Rain On My Parade_ won Sectionals for New Directions last year and that was before she even knew Shelby.

"I've been working on perfecting Barbra's songs for twelve years. I sang _Don't Rain On My Parade_ at Sectionals last year. We won," Rachel says.

"Fine. Rachel will do _Funny Girl_ for the solo. And we can keep Queen's _Under Pressure_," Dustin says.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed. Some of you asked if we'd see more Shelby. I really like her as a character and she will play a big role in this story. I know some of you want to see more of New Directions. I'm writing Rachel getting closer to the main characters in this story first. If you wait, I promise we haven't seen the last of New Directions. I'm trying my best to keep the characters in character and I don't think Puck would be open to joining Vocal Adrenaline right away, but he might eventually.

**Chapter 2**

It's only Rachel's first week at Carmel, yet everyone already knows who she is. After all, she's the star of Vocal Adrenaline. And Vocal Adrenaline rules the school. She can feel all eyes on her as she walks down the hall. This is what she's always wanted. Popularity. Fame. But, she sees someone who knew her when she was a loser waiting by her locker. Puck. And she panics. She didn't think anyone from New Directions would show up here. Of course, it only took Will Schuester a few hours to interrupt her new life. Since he couldn't convince her to go back to New Directions, he probably sent in reinforcements. Rachel can't run away from her problems. Her problems are following her. So, she decides to face Puck head on.

"What are you doing here, Puckerman? Did Mr. Schuester send you?" Rachel demands.

"Relax, Berry. I'm not Mr. Schue's bitch. Figgins threw me out of McKinley," Puck explains.

"Oh. Why? What happened?" Rachel asks.

"Finn and I had enough of Karofsky and the rest of the puckheads messing with us so we messed up the ice," Puck replies.

"The Karofsky bullying situation was out of control. Someone needed to stop him. I'm proud of you," Rachel says. She pauses for a moment. "Is Finn okay?" Rachel asks.

Puck scowls. Finn doesn't deserve Rachel's concern.

"He got suspended. I got expelled. It's not fair," Puck complains.

"Well, you have been in trouble nine times this semester," Rachel points out.

"Yeah. I'm a badass," Puck says, proud.

"Are you going to join Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel asks.

"Hell no. Those assholes TPed our choir room and egged you," Puck mutters.

"I was kind of nervous at first, but they're actually okay," Rachel says.

"I was wondering if you wanted to eat lunch together?" Puck asks.

When Rachel nods in agreement, Puck offers her his arm and she takes it. He's surprised how many people say hi to Rachel on the way to the cafeteria. At McKinley the only time anyone who wasn't in Glee talked to Rachel was when they were making fun of her. And the members of Glee weren't much better.

Puck and Rachel get lunch and take it outside. Ohio's wet and cold starting in late fall, but today it's unusually nice. Sunny with a light breeze. They sit down at a picnic table.

"You miss McKinley?" Rachel asks.

"No. No one deserves to be treated the way Glee's treated. It's humiliating. You know, I thought winning Sectionals would make New Directions cool, but it didn't change anything. Karofsky's never gonna stop giving everyone in Glee slushie facials," Puck replies.

"If I never see another slushie again, it will be too soon," Rachel says, smiling.

When they finish lunch, they dump what's left on their trays out in the garbage can and put their trays on the top of the stack. They walk through the hallway to Rachel's locker.

"We have some time before class starts. You wanna make out?" Puck asks.

He doesn't have to ask her twice. Rachel genuinely likes Puck. When they were together before, she saw a different side of him. Everyone sees him as a badass. He drinks. Smokes. Gets bad grades. Gets in fights. No one was surprised when he got Quinn pregnant. Everyone expects him to get in trouble. But, the tough guy act is just that. An act. He's caring. Thoughtful. Loyal. His father abandoned him. He grew up with a single mom. She's always there for Puck and his sister. When he cares about people, he'll do anything for them. Rachel's lucky to be one of the people he cares about. He defended her at Sectionals when her boyfriend didn't. Her ex-boyfriend now. Knowing Finn, he's probably already moved on to Santana. Rachel needs to move on, too. And who better to move on with than Puck?

"Sure," Rachel replies.

Leaning back against her locker, she looks up at him, her head tilted back. His eyes darken with desire. He takes a step forward to close the gap between them. She closes her eyes as his lips meet hers.

Walking to her classroom, Shelby stops dead in her tracks when she sees Rachel. After their confrontation in Dustin Goolsby's office, a part of Shelby wanted to talk to Rachel. Make peace with Rachel. At least get to a point where they aren't enemies. Another part of her feels like it's too late. Too late to have the kind of relationship she wants with her daughter. Too late to apologize.

Shelby stares, momentarily frozen, as Rachel kisses a boy passionately. She knows exactly who the boy is even though his face is obscured by Rachel's thick auburn hair. She would recognize that Mohawk anywhere. Noah Puckerman. The boy that had unprotected sex with Quinn Fabray. The boy that slashed all twenty-six of her performers' tires and had the nerve to defend his actions. The boy that was just expelled from McKinley. And his tongue is down her daughter's throat.

Somehow, after everything that's happened between her and Rachel, Shelby feels like Rachel's mom...worried and concerned. Suddenly she looks at Rachel and instead of seeing a confident and poised woman, she sees an innocent young girl…a teenager navigating the boundary between childhood and adulthood. She wants to tell Puck to get his hands off her daughter. It takes all of her self-control to keep her mouth shut.

Rachel and Puck kiss for what feels like hours to Shelby. Shelby just stands there, unable to move or tear her gaze away.

When the teenagers finally come up for air, Rachel opens her eyes and sees a stunned Shelby staring. Rachel's eyes widen and her mouth opens. Her initial shock soon turns into confusion. She is visibly uncomfortable that Shelby was watching her with Puck. After all, she'd be uncomfortable with anyone watching and Shelby's not just anyone.

For a split second, Rachel feels like she should apologize to Shelby. After all, it's what she would do if one of her dads walked in on her making out with a boy. But, Shelby isn't a normal parent. What's Shelby going to do? Give her the talk. Tell her she can't have boys in her room. Rachel scoffs at the idea. She doesn't owe Shelby an apology. If anything, Shelby's the one that owes Rachel an apology.

Shelby didn't think things with Rachel could get any worse, but she knows they just did. Somehow, she went from alienated mother to creepy stalker in mere seconds. If she'd known what would happen when she stepped foot in that hallway, she would have chosen a different path to her classroom. She looks down and quickly starts walking as if she can't get away from her daughter fast enough.

By the time she's safely in her classroom, Shelby's out of breath. The shortness of breath has more to do with nerves than physical exertion. She's stayed in shape even though she's no longer auditioning or coaching. She works out in her home gym every morning. When it's nice outside, she straps Beth into her stroller and takes her on a walk to the park after work. But, being in great shape doesn't help her when it comes to anxiety. Trying to calm down, she sits down at her desk and takes a deep breath. Her students will start filtering in soon and she doesn't want them to know anything is wrong.

During Shelby's planning period, she goes into the office and pulls Puck's file. She doesn't know why she's torturing herself. She already knows more than enough to know she doesn't want her daughter to be with him. She also knows there's absolutely nothing she can do about it. She can't forbid Rachel from seeing him. Her opinion won't matter to Rachel. If she tells Rachel how she feels, Rachel will probably laugh in her face. If Rachel even hears her out. Still, she forces herself to keep reading because she has to know everything she can about her daughter's boyfriend. The situation she finds herself in is all too familiar.

It's been about a year since Shelby saw New Directions perform at Sectionals. She knew Rachel was her daughter. Sitting in her seat in the theater, she watched Rachel sing _Don't Rain On My Parade_. She could see her daughter. Hear her daughter. And she felt an unrivaled sense of joy and pride. Her daughter was extraordinary. Her daughter was her. A wave of warmth rose inside of her, encircling her heart. But, she also felt unbearable pain because she couldn't contact her daughter until she was eighteen.

After the performance, Shelby searched high and low for any information she could find on her daughter. She watched the videos of Rachel singing on Rachel's MySpace page. She looked up videos of New Directions performing on YouTube. She told Jesse to befriend Rachel and quizzed him on every last detail. She wanted to know everything about her daughter, but she couldn't go to the source.

Somehow, Shelby's suddenly back in that position. Her daughter is right here in front of her. At Carmel High. And she can't talk to her. This time the contract isn't what's stopping her. She can't talk to her daughter because Rachel won't want to talk to her. And she only has herself to blame. She wants to know how worried she should be about Rachel's boyfriend. Instead of talking to Rachel, she's back to looking for information on her daughter's life anywhere but from her daughter. And the more she reads in Puck's file, the more worried she gets. He did a brief stint in a Juvenile Detention Center earlier this year. Her daughter's boyfriend is a juvenile delinquent.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Standing backstage in the Carmel High gymnasium, Rachel is looking at the red velvet curtains that stand between her and the crowd. On stage is the only place she really wants to be. When she was at McKinley, New Directions' performances were a break from their real lives. A temporary reprieve from being nobodies. A few minutes when everyone cheered for them instead of cheering for the jocks as they slushied the Glee losers. It's different here. No one knows her. After all, she's only been at Carmel High for one week. But everyone knows who she is. She's the star of Vocal Adrenaline. Which means she's a somebody. And now she has to prove herself. A good performance won't _surprise_ the crowd. They _expect_ her to be good. They'll compare her with her predecessor. Jesse St. James. Taking a deep breath, Rachel knows she has to be perfect.

After Principal Nielson announces Vocal Adrenaline, the curtains are drawn. The members of Vocal Adrenaline are on stage. The girls are wearing red corsets and black skirts. The boys are wearing red button down shirts and black pants. They're looking down. As the music starts, they look up and start singing AC/DC's _You Shook Me All Night Long_. Rachel and Michael are front and center. The choreography is sexy. Appropriate for the song.

Michael sings the first solo.

"_She was a fast machine_

_She kept her motor clean_

_She was the best damn woman that I ever seen_

_She had the sightless eyes_

_Telling me no lies_

_Knockin' me out with those American thighs_

_Taking more than her share_

_Had me fighting for air_

_She told me to come but I was already there."_

Rachel starts singing the next few lines.

"'_Cause the walls start shaking_

_The earth was quaking_

_My mind was aching_

_And we were making it and you-"_

Sitting in the bleachers with her third period class, Shelby watches disbelieving as her daughter practically grinds with Michael in front of the entire student body. Her initial shock soon turns to horror. Until this moment, in the short time she's known her daughter, she's never been anything but proud when she's seen Rachel perform. She can hear the muffled voices of students in the audience. The teenage boys saying exactly what they want to do with the female lead. With her daughter.

All of the members join in for the chorus.

"_Shook me all night long_

_Yeah you shook me all night long…"_

Getting up from her seat, Shelby starts looking for Dustin. She finds him standing to the side of the stage. Dustin smiles when he sees her.

"What do you think?" Dustin asks.

"I have a hard time seeing _You Shook Me All Night Long_ as an appropriate song for teenagers," Shelby says sarcastically.

A frown replaces Dustin's smile. He didn't expect a rave review from Shelby Corcoran. When she trained him, he saw her coaching style. He knows she's difficult to please. But, she's not just unimpressed. No, she actually seems angry.

"Where did the girls get their costumes? Victoria's Secret?" Shelby continues.

"Look, they wanted to do a sexy song. Rachel told everyone that New Directions did Britney Spears at their last assembly and _Push It_ at the one before that. Everyone's parents signed a permission slip," Dustin explains.

There's a hint of surprise in Shelby's eyes. She didn't know it was Rachel's idea to do a sexy song. There's a lot she doesn't know about her daughter. And she may never get the chance to know Rachel.

As the song ends, the gymnasium erupts in applause. The sound from the bleachers is a thunderous roar. When Principal Nielson joins Dustin and Shelby, Shelby thinks he's going to give Dustin a piece of his mind and smirks.

"Who's the new female lead?" Principal Nielson asks.

Dustin grabs Rachel as she steps off the stage and pulls the surprised teenager over. Rachel doesn't resist, but she is visibly uncomfortable when she sees Shelby.

"This is our new female lead, Rachel Berry," Dustin says. He puts an arm around his star as he presents her to the principal.

"I'm Principal Nielson. Rachel, you were really good. Keep this up and another National title is in the bag," Principal Nielson says, smiling.

Incredulous at what she just heard, Shelby wonders if she's the only one that actually saw the performance. Listened to the lyrics. Watched the teenagers grinding with each other on stage.

"The singing was good, but the song itself was risqué. Everyone can dance like that. If you could even call that dancing. Just go to any club and you'll see people that have never danced a day in their life grinding," Shelby scoffs. "Aren't you worried that you'll get flooded with complaints from parents?" Shelby asks.

Rachel stares disbelieving at Shelby. She flat-out refused to coach Rachel, yet is criticizing Rachel's performance. And in front of the principal and her coach no less. Rachel knows Shelby doesn't want her there. But she thought Shelby would get over it. Not try to make her look bad. What's Shelby's plan? To convince everyone that Rachel's not good enough to be the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline. Rachel crosses her arm in front of her chest protectively.

"You can't please everyone. There's always someone that complains. I'm not under any delusion that our students haven't seen and heard worse," Principal Nielson says. He laughs and waves off Shelby's concern. He looks at Dustin. "You know, you have big shoes to fill. I'll admit I was worried after the invitational. Sunshine Corazon is no Jesse St. James. But, you've turned things around," Principal Nielson says.

Rachel smiles and nods along until the principal mentions Jesse. Shelby sees the sadness and hurt in her eyes before she looks down.

"I'm happy to hear that," Dustin says.

As the assembly comes to an end, Principal Nielson excuses himself. Dustin goes to find the rest of his team. Rachel is so angry she's practically shaking. She glares at Shelby with pure fury in her eyes. She can no longer contain her anger.

"You know, I know you don't want me to be here. I've tried to respect that. I'm not in your class. I don't talk to you when I see you in the halls. I think I've dealt with this like a professional while your behavior has been completely inappropriate. It doesn't matter if you liked my performance! You are not my teacher or my coach! I know what you're doing. You're trying to ruin my chances in Vocal Adrenaline. You think if you can get to Principal Nielson, Mr. Goolsby will replace me as female lead and I'll go running back to New Directions. Well, I'm not going anywhere!" Rachel says. Her voice is strong and filled with rage.

Taken aback, Shelby is silent. Rachel's never once lost her cool. Not when Shelby said goodbye to her. Not when Shelby turned down her proposition to teach at McKinely because she was tired of coaching Glee and wanted a family. Not when she lost Regionals and had to watch as her ex-boyfriend celebrated her defeat with her mother. She didn't say one angry word. She didn't raise her voice. Rachel kept her cool while dealing with things she should never have had to deal with. So, when she finally loses it and lashes out, Shelby is stunned.

But, it only takes Shelby a moment to compose herself. No one speaks to Shelby Corcoran like that. Especially not her sixteen year old daughter. Shelby looks straight into Rachel's eyes.

"You gotta learn how to take constructive criticism if you want to make it in New York. Dustin asked what I thought. I was just being honest. It's not some plot to get you to go back to New Directions," Shelby says.

Shelby knows she's not being fair. If the team had done that performance without her daughter, she wouldn't have thought twice about it. But, she did not want to see her daughter grinding on a boy. And now she can't get the disturbing image out of her head. She sees the hurt in Rachel's eyes and softens slightly.

"Look, Rachel, you were good. You're a really, really talented singer. If I were your coach, the choreography would have showcased your dancing ability instead of your body," Shelby says.

Looking down, Rachel nods once. It upsets her to know that Shelby was being honest. She genuinely didn't think the performance was good. She's not just being spiteful. Even if she doesn't like Shelby at the moment, Rachel respects Shelby as a performer and coach. After all, Shelby led Vocal Adrenaline to victory every year she was their coach. No matter what Rachel said, Shelby's opinion means a lot to her.

As students pass them by, teenage boys leer at Rachel. She's still in costume. She's oblivious to the attention, but Shelby isn't. And neither is Puck. He finds Rachel and puts a proprietary arm around her. Glaring at a passerby that dared to check Rachel out, he takes a step forward.

"What are you looking at?" Puck demands.

"N-nothing," the boy squeaks out. He looks down and hurries past.

"That's what I thought," Puck says. He looks at Rachel and smiles. "That was hot, Babe," Puck says.

"See, Rachel? Everyone is talking about how you looked instead of how talented you are," Shelby points out.

Pushing aside her hurt, Rachel puts her show face on. The wide smile hides the emotions swirling around inside of her. Rachel doesn't want Shelby to know that she cares what Shelby thinks. It's better to come off as confident than vulnerable.

"Everyone but you liked it. We were giving them what they want. Sex. We're not doing a sexy song when we compete. It's important to know your audience," Rachel says.

Even as she speaks, Rachel realizes that what she's saying applies to Shelby. As a performer, Rachel Berry knows what her audience wants and she doesn't disappoint. She knows a hit song that everyone knows and can sing along to will win over an audience composed of teenagers, whereas the judges at a show choir competition will only be impressed with a difficult song delivered perfectly with emotional depth and showmanship. But, Rachel doesn't know Shelby. In the short time she's known Shelby, Shelby has played it close to the vest. Guarded. Perfect poker face. So, Rachel doesn't know how to win her mother over. All of her attempts have failed miserably.

As Puck and Rachel walk out of the now empty gymnasium, Rachel doesn't look back at her mother. When they stop at Rachel's locker, Puck turns to Rachel.

"What's going on with your mom?" Puck asks.

"When she found out I transferred, she wanted me to go back to New Directions. Now she's trying to ruin my chances in Vocal Adrenaline by making me look bad to the principal and Mr. Goolsby," Rachel replies. "She actually insinuated that I can't dance. I've been in advanced ballet and jazz classes since I was ten," Rachel huffs indignantly.

"She's kind of a bitch. All she ever does is make you feel bad. She doesn't deserve to have you as her daughter," Puck says.

"She's made it perfectly clear that we aren't family," Rachel mutters.

"I'm sorry. My dad's a deadbeat. I didn't want to be like him. I wanted to keep Beth. I would have taken care of her. But all Quinn ever thought about was what she wanted. I can't believe she just gave our daughter to your mom," Puck says. Frustrated and angry, he punches the locker. "Ugh! If she treats Beth how she's treated you-"

"I don't think she will. It's different with Beth. She's my mother, but she's Beth's mom," Rachel says quickly. She grabs Puck's hand and looks at him. "You're not like your dad and Shelby. If Beth finds you some day, I know you'll be there for her. You'll be her dad," Rachel says.

"You think Beth will ever want to know me?" Puck asks.

"Yes," Rachel says with certainty. "I always wanted to know who my mother was. When I talked to my therapist after I found Shelby, he said it's natural to be curious about where you came from," Rachel explains.

Puck smiles slightly.

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone that reviewed. I'd love to hear what you think. If there are any characters you want to see more of or less of, let me know. In the next chapter, Kurt will make an appearance.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rachel Berry is an only child. She's over privileged. Over indulged. Spoiled. Her dads give her everything she wants. Expensive dance classes and vocal lessons. There are expensive electronics in her room. An iPod touch and an iHome on her nightstand. A flat screen TV and a DVD player hooked up across from her bed. A Mac laptop on her desk. She has a closet full of clothes. A jewelry box holds expensive jewelry. They don't only give her material things. They also give her their undivided attention. Their world revolves around Rachel. They give her the best of everything, but they also expect the best from her. They have high expectations. Expectations that she tries to live up to. The walls in the Berry house are filled with Rachel's trophies and awards. Rachel's most recent report card is on the refrigerator. Straight A's.

All of the members of Vocal Adrenaline get two tickets for Sectionals. Most of them will give the tickets to their parents, but Rachel's dads are out of town. They didn't know they would be missing her performance when they booked their cruise. In fact, they scheduled the cruise for the week after Rachel was supposed to perform at McKinley's Sectionals. They were there when New Directions performed without Rachel.

Rachel wants a friendly face in the audience tomorrow. She knows it's a lot to ask of Puck. His loyalty lies with New Directions. And he's not a big fan of Vocal Adrenaline. Since he transferred to Carmel, he's been nice enough to Rachel's teammates, but Rachel knows he's not over what happened last year. She's had the tickets for a few days and she hasn't found the right time to ask. Now doesn't seem like the right time. He had to watch Rachel grind with another guy during the assembly. Since then, every warm-blooded male in Carmel has practically drooled when they see Rachel. It's affecting his mood. But Rachel is running out of time. After all, Sectionals is tomorrow. She takes a deep breath and looks at Puck.

"I know you haven't forgiven Vocal Adrenaline for everything they've done-" Rachel starts tentatively.

"The worst part is that they egged you," Puck says.

"Yes, I know, but if I can forgive them, do you think maybe you can, too?" Rachel asks.

"They humiliated you," Puck mutters.

"Since I've been here, they've made me feel welcome. As you know, our Sectionals is tomorrow. I got a solo and I'm the female lead in the group number. It's the first time in sixteen years that my dads won't be there when I perform and it would mean a lot to me if my boyfriend was there," Rachel says.

"I'll be there," Puck says.

Rachel smiles. "Thanks, Noah. I have two tickets if you want to invite someone or you can come alone," Rachel says. She gets the tickets out of her bag and gives them to Puck.

"Why can't your dads come?" Puck asks, surprised. They went to all of New Directions' performances.

"They're on the Rosie O'Donnell cruise. When I transferred to Carmel, it was too late for them to get a refund if they cancelled," Rachel replies.

"They're out of town?" Puck says for clarification. Rachel nods in confirmation. "So, uh, party tonight?" Puck asks hopefully, smiling slightly.

"Forget it," Rachel says dismissively.

"You're the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline. You're popular. With that power comes responsibility," Puck says.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "The responsibility to let everyone have sex and get drunk at my house?" Rachel says sarcastically.

"Yeah. There's a word for that…a party," Puck says, laughing.

"No. My dads left me alone in our house because they trust me," Rachel says.

"They left you alone cause you're a total bore," Puck says.

Rachel narrows her eyes. "You know, I was going to ask you to come over tonight while my dads are out of town," Rachel says.

"Come on. You and I are the new kids. If you have a party, everyone will know who we are," Puck pleads.

Rachel doesn't want to betray her dads' trust. But, she wants to be popular more than anything. It's not even a _want_. It's a _need_. She knows all too well what it's like to be a loser. After all, she was the biggest loser at McKinley. She's never been to a high school party. No one's ever invited her. She spent her weekends reading ahead for class. It was lonely. Now that she's had a taste of popularity, she's not going to go back. Transferring to Carmel changed everything. She's not at the bottom of the proverbial pyramid anymore. She's at the top. A complete 180. And she'll do whatever it takes to protect her newfound status. So if a party will solidify her popularity, then she's going to have a party. And maybe this party will thaw the ice between her boyfriend and her team. She knows from experience that being with someone her team doesn't like can blow up in her face.

"Everyone already knows who I am. I just sang in front of everyone," Rachel points out. "But I guess there's nothing wrong with having a small party just for Vocal Adrenaline. We've been rehearsing until midnight every night. Everyone is stressed out. We need to relax before tomorrow. My dads have always been very supportive of my career," Rachel says.

A few hours later Rachel is directing Puck in party preparations. As she tidies up in the basement, he sets Rachel's iPod and speakers up. When the basement is clean, Rachel brings a bag from Party City down. Knowing Rachel hasn't been to many parties, Puck wonders if she's going to decorate the basement. His mom always decorates their house with streamers and balloons for his little sister's birthday. But she's twelve. They're in high school. Frowning, he puts his hand to his chin as he thinks.

"All we need is a keg and I got that covered," Puck says

Rachel gets a roll of tickets out of the bag. The kind they have at carnivals. "Everyone's going to get two drink tickets to keep things from getting out of hand," Rachel explains.

"Uh, are you serious?" Puck asks, horrified.

Rachel nods in earnest. "My dads trust me. I'm not going to have a wild party and ruin our house. Besides, I don't want anyone to get wasted. Everyone needs to be at their best for Sectionals tomorrow," Rachel says.

Puck grimaces. "Look, no one's even gonna get buzzed off two beers," Puck says.

Rachel looks at the roll of tickets uncertainly and then looks at Puck. He's staring at her, waiting for her response. "To hell with the rules. Let's party," Rachel says, smiling.

Puck can't help but be amused. It makes him smile to hear those words come out of her mouth. He leans down to kiss her. Standing on her tiptoes, Rachel leans in to meet him halfway. Puck runs a hand down her hair. He gently pulls on her hair, titling her head back, and deepens the kiss. Their lips are still locked when the doorbell rings. It takes Rachel a moment to recover from the passionate kiss. She only goes to answer the door when the doorbell rings for a second time.

Rachel smiles when she sees Kurt and Blaine. They're the only ones she invited that don't go to Carmel. Since Kurt transferred to Dalton, he understands why Rachel didn't stay at McKinley.

"Welcome, Kurt. Blaine," Rachel says.

As Kurt gives Rachel an once-over, his smile fades and he cringes. She's wearing a long-sleeved green dress with white ruffles. "What are you wearing?" Kurt asks. The disdain is evident in his voice.

Rachel looks down self-consciously. "What? Is it too formal?" Rachel wonders.

Kurt and Blaine exchange an incredulous look.

"It's not too formal. It's just…" Blaine says. He pauses as he tries to find the least insulting way to say that the dress is hideous.

Kurt isn't worried about being tactful. "It's too Amish and the Amish are not known for their sense of fashion," Kurt says. He starts going upstairs. "Come on," Kurt calls over his shoulder.

Rachel follows Kurt into her bedroom. He opens the door to her closet and stands there, looking for anything that won't make Rachel look like an overgrown toddler.

"Aha!" Kurt says, proud, as he pulls a red dress.

Rachel stares at the dress dubiously, remembering the last time Kurt "helped" her. After that makeover, Finn said she looked like a sad clown hooker.

When Rachel hesitates, Kurt rolls his eyes. "I'm over Finn. I like Blaine and you're with Puckerman. I'm not trying to sabotage you. I promise," Kurt says.

Rachel nods her head in acceptance and takes the dress. She goes into the bathroom to change. When she comes out, Kurt nods in approval. As they go back downstairs, Puck is answering the door and letting the first car-full of Vocal Adrenaline members in. Lauren and Andrea. Haylee follows close behind. Playing the role of hostess, Rachel greets everyone and shows everyone to the basement.

Haylee stares wide-eyed at the stage in the basement. "Oh my gosh. You have a stage in your basement," Haylee says, impressed. She's looking at the stage like she can hardly wait to get up there.

"She _is_ Ms. Corcoran's daughter," Lauren says as if that explains it. There's laughter in her voice. She can't help but be amused at how similar Rachel and Shelby are.

Still angry and hurt after her latest run-in with Shelby, Rachel doesn't want to be reminded of that fact. In fact, she wants nothing more than to forget about Shelby tonight. Her smile fades a bit. She quickly dispels them of the notion that the stage has anything to do with her genetics.

"I like to give impromptu performances for our neighbors sometimes," Rachel explains.

Andrea is the first to see past the stage. She's the only one that doesn't want to put it to good use. Rehearsing until midnight for the last week is about all the singing she can stand. So, she surveys the basement while the others are looking at the stage. There's plenty of room. There's a mini bar. It's the perfect party spot. Especially for a Glee club.

"This is the perfect party spot," Andrea says.

"Can I take the stage for a spin?" Haylee asks.

"Sure," Rachel replies.

As Rachel set the microphone up and shows Haylee how to work the sound system, Andrea grabs Lauren's hand and pulls her over to the keg.

The other members of Vocal Adrenaline are over confident that they'll blow the competition out of the water tomorrow. Even cocky. After all, they are Vocal Adrenaline. They've won Nationals the last five years. Sectionals is nothing in the scheme of things. But Andrea's nervous. She's worried that her teammates are too confident. Complacent. And that was fine last year when they had a male lead that had three National titles under his belt and a coach that knew the ins and outs of the show choir competition circuit. But this is a new team. They have a new star. A new coach. Yet Andrea's parents still expect Vocal Adrenaline to win. And winning isn't enough. Her mom will ask why Andrea isn't the female lead. Her mom was the female lead when she was in high school. And then her mom will proceed to pick apart her performance under the guise of helping her. Just thinking about it stresses Andrea out. She chugs her first cup and refills it.

"Whoa, easy there, Tiger. I don't think the judges will be impressed if you're hungover tomorrow," Lauren jokes. She takes Andrea's cup and takes a sip.

"I'm fine," Andrea assures her, taking the cup and drinking deeply.

As Andrea polishes off her second cup, Puck gravitates toward Kurt. It's funny. They were never friends when they were both at McKinley. In fact, Puck has thrown Kurt into a dumpster. Pushed Kurt into the lockers. Slushied Kurt. But right now Kurt is the closest thing to a friend that Puck has. And neither of them is going to make nice with Vocal Adrenaline.

"Do you miss McKinley?" Kurt asks.

"No. Do you?" Puck says.

"I miss everyone in Glee, but I don't miss McKinley," Kurt replies.

"How's Finn?" Puck asks.

"He's actually enjoying his suspension. He's been helping my dad in the tire shop. I think he really likes having a father figure," Kurt replies.

Puck nods in understanding. He knows all too well how it feels not to have a father. But, Finn's dad is dead. Puck's dad is very much alive and he's still not there for Puck. For Puck's dad, it's a choice. And he didn't choose Puck. The only one that knows exactly how it feels is Rachel.

"I take it you're not joining Vocal Adrenaline?" Kurt says.

"No way," Puck mutters.

When Haylee's all set on stage, Rachel joins Puck and Kurt. She notices that Kurt doesn't have a drink.

"Can I get you a drink?" Rachel asks.

"I'm not drinking. Still trying to impress Blaine. Can't get too sloppy," Kurt explains.

They all look at an obviously drunk Blaine.

"Clearly he doesn't have the same concern," Kurt adds, laughing. "You having fun, Blaine?" Kurt asks.

"Yeah! Best party ever!" Blaine replies.

"Blaine's already drunk and I haven't even had my first sip of alcohol yet," Rachel says.

"You want me to get you a drink?" Puck offers.

When Rachel nods, Puck gets in the line that's formed for the keg and fills a cup for Rachel. After she takes a sip, she wrinkles her nose.

"I think it's bad. Can beer go bad?" Rachel says.

Puck takes a drink from her cup. "No. It's good. It's just an acquired taste," Puck explains.

"I've acquired it," Blaine says, proud. He holds up his nearly empty cup as proof.

"Well, are there any drinks that taste less…alcoholic?" Rachel asks.

"Let me break into your dads' liquor cabinet and I'll get you something you'll like," Puck says. Unsure, Rachel bites her bottom lip. "I'll replace it before they get home," Puck assures her.

After Rachel nods in consent, Puck picks the lock on the liquor cabinet. He grabs a bottle of vodka. Looking for a mixer to hide the taste, he finds cranberry juice in the refrigerator. He measures out two shots and then mixes juice into the cup.

While Puck's playing bartender, Giselle and Michael show up. Giselle is the only member of Vocal Adrenaline that Rachel didn't want to invite, but she felt like she had to invite everyone. She knows all too well what it feels like to be left out. But, she didn't count on Giselle inviting a few of her friends. So much for a small party. After introducing herself to the new faces, Rachel shows the newcomers to the basement. Once they go their separate ways, she finds Puck.

Puck gives her a cup with a purple drink in it. Not knowing what to expect, Rachel slowly brings the cup to her lips and takes a hesitant sip. When she realizes she can't taste the alcohol, she drinks deeply. Having seen Puck behind the mini bar, Andrea gets up from her spot on the couch and comes over to try to get something stronger than beer.

"Hey. What are you drinking?" Andrea asks.

"Uh, I don't know, but I like it!" Rachel says loudly. She offers her cup to Andrea. "You want to try it?" Rachel asks.

Andrea nods in acceptance, taking the offered cup. She looks at the purple drink curiously. "Vodka and cranberry juice?" Andrea says knowingly. Puck nods in confirmation. Andrea drinks deeply from the cup. "I can't even taste the vodka," Andrea says.

"Yeah. She's never had a drink before. I didn't give her very much vodka," Puck explains, looking at Rachel.

Shocked, a disbelieving Andrea stares at Rachel. "You mean you've never had anything? Not even a beer or a wine cooler?" Andrea asks.

"I've never had a drop of alcohol before in my life," Rachel replies.

Andrea smiles. "If you hang out with us, we might corrupt you. We work hard, play hard," Andrea says. She points to a group of their teammates. Mike and Lauren are cheering as Giselle shotguns a beer. Puck nods in approval.

Rachel Berry doesn't have any vices. She's never experimented with drugs. She doesn't smoke. After all, it would ruin her voice. She hasn't had sex. She doesn't even swear. She doesn't do anything unless it's part of her life plan. The plan that's been in place since she was six years old. If everything goes according to plan, she'll be starring in her first Broadway musical by the time she's twenty. Every step she takes brings her closer to stardom. She's never deviated from the plan. Not once in the last ten years. She realizes she hasn't really lived. She doesn't do anything just to have fun. She hadn't even gone bowling until Finn took her. She's missed out on so much. Watching the female lead that, with Jesse, led Vocal Adrenaline to victory at Nationals last year shotgun a beer, Rachel begins to wonder why she's given up so much to be a star. Everyone in Vocal Adrenaline drinks and it clearly hasn't damaged their vocal cords. Maybe she can have fun and be a star. And she is having fun. This is the most fun she's had in a long time.

"There are no dangers of drinking as long as you drink responsibly," Rachel says.

Rachel tilts her head back and pours the rest of her drink into her mouth. Pouting, she holds up her empty cup. Puck gets the hint.

"Want me to get you another drink?" Puck asks.

Rachel's head bobs up and down. "Make it a little bit stronger," Rachel instructs. She holds her thumb and her forefinger about a half-inch apart. "Just a little bit," Rachel reminds him, laughing.

Andrea follows Puck to the mini bar. As he adds three shots of vodka to Rachel's cup, Andrea practically begs for a shot of tequila. While Puck bends down to look for the tequila in the liquor cabinet, Andrea opens the refrigerator and looks for a chaser. Unbeknownst to them, Giselle adds a few shots to Rachel's drink. If she sabotages Rachel, she thinks she'll get Rachel's solo at Sectionals. She takes a few steps away from Rachel's cup so no one will suspect anything.

"What does a girl have to do to get a shot around here?" Giselle asks.

"What do you want?" Puck asks.

"Do a shot with me!" Andrea says.

"I'll have what she's having," Giselle says, laughing.

Puck pours them each a shot of tequila and puts the bottle back where it belongs. After he locks the liquor cabinet, he goes to find Rachel. She's moved from their last spot and is now sitting on the floor with Kurt and Blaine. Sitting down next to her, he hands her the drink. It only takes a few sips for her to go from slightly buzzed to completely wasted.

"This is really, really good! You should be a professional drink maker," Rachel suggests seriously.

"Also known as a bartender," Kurt says sarcastically. He looks at Puck. "How much did you give her?" Kurt asks.

"I didn't give her very much," Puck says.

"Hey, aren't Carmel's Sectionals tomorrow?" Blaine asks.

"Yeah, Puck replies.

"And we're going to win!" Rachel says loudly. She launches herself into a startled Puck's arms. "Aren't you proud to have me on your arm? Tomorrow I'll be a two-time Sectionals winner," Rachel says, slurring slightly.

Puck isn't even listening. He's staring at Rachel, confused and horrified. He's tried to get girls drunk before. He knows exactly how many shots it takes on average. He remembers how many drinks he fed Quinn before she fell into bed with him. This time he was not trying to get Rachel drunk. In fact, that's the last thing he wanted. It's one thing for her to be buzzed. She would recover from that before Sectionals. But as drunk as Rachel seems, she's going to be hungover tomorrow. He has to sober her up. He realizes Rachel stopped talking and is waiting for a response, but he has no idea what she said.

"Totally," Puck says.

Puck snatches the drink from an oblivious Rachel's hands. After chugging it, he puts the empty cup down behind him.

"You do realize that she's going to kill you if they lose Sectionals tomorrow. Kill you," Kurt mutters under his breath.

Puck nods and sighs slowly.

A few minutes later Rachel finally realizes her drink is missing. "Hey! Someone stole my drink! I don't know how that happened," Rachel complains.

"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard," a sympathetic Blaine says.

Feigning innocence, Puck shrugs.

"Maybe we should call the police," Rachel suggests.

Rachel gets her cell phone out and Kurt quickly grabs it. "Okay, I'll just hang onto that," Kurt says.

"I'll get you a water," Puck says.

Puck gets a bottle of water from the refrigerator and gives it to Rachel. Rachel doesn't seem to be able to unscrew the cap so Puck does it for her. Rachel drinks the water quickly. After a trip to the bathroom, Rachel grabs Puck's hands and pulls him to the stage.

"Will you sing with me?" Rachel asks hopefully.

"Uh, yeah. Sure," Puck replies. "What do you want to sing?" Puck asks.

"I'll sing anything with you. Anything!" Rachel says loudly.

Rachel leans into Puck and throws her arms around his shoulders. Puck's arms tighten around her waist. Relaxing in his arms, Rachel looks up and smiles. She doesn't think. She just feels. Her lips crash against Puck's. It catches him off guard, but he kisses her back. Her usual tension is gone. For once, she doesn't feel insecure about being inexperienced. She just wants to rock Puck's world. He deepens the kiss and she feels a surge of confidence. They part to catch their breath.

Smiling widely, Puck steps up to the microphone on the right-hand side of the stage. A few steps bring Rachel to the microphone on the left-hand side of the stage. She waits, excited, to hear which song they're singing. Puck looks directly at Rachel as he starts singing Cobra Starship's _Good Girls Go Bad_.

"_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go_

_Good girls go bad_

_Good girls go bad_

_I know your type_

_Your type_

_You're daddy's little girl_

_Just take a bite_

_One bite_

_Let me shake up your world_

'_Cause just one night couldn't be so wrong_

_I'm gonna make you lose control_

_She was so shy_

_Till I drove her wild_

_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go bad_

_You were hanging in the corner_

_With your five best friends_

_You heard that I was trouble_

_But you couldn't resist_

_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go_

_Good girls go bad, bad, bad_

_Good girls go bad, bad, bad_

_Good girls go."_

As Puck sings, Rachel dances in place. Smiling, she rakes a hand through her hair. An act that would be sexy if she weren't so obviously drunk.

When it's her turn to sing, she proves that, even drunk, Rachel Berry can sing.

"_I know your type_

_Your type_

_Boy, you're dangerous_

_Yeah, you're that guy_

_That guy_

_I'd be stupid to trust_

_But just one night couldn't be so wrong_

_You make me wanna lose control."_

Puck's eyes are on her. Even when her solo ends, his eyes never leave Rachel. He sings only to her. The others in the room don't matter.

"_She was so shy_

_Till I drove her wild_

_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go bad."_

Ready for her turn, Rachel looks at their makeshift audience and sings.

"_I was hanging in the corner _

_With my five best friends_

_I heard that you were trouble_

_But I couldn't resist."_

Picking the microphone up from its stand, Puck takes a few steps closer to Rachel as he sings the chorus.

"_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go_

_Good girls go bad bad bad_

_Good girls go bad bad bad_

_Good girls go bad."_

Standing next to each other, their voices join together for the next part.

"_Oh she got a way with the boys in the place_

_Treat 'em like they don't stand a chance_

_And he got a way with them girls in the back_

_Actin' like they too hot to dance_

_Yeah she got a way with them boys in the place_

_Treat 'em like they don't stand a chance_

_And he got a way with the girls in the back_

_Actin' like they too hot to dance."_

Rachel takes a step back so Puck will be the center of attention. But, being in the spotlight doesn't matter to Puck. He hasn't spared a glance at the audience that has formed right in front of him. He only has eyes for Rachel. Eyes on Rachel, Puck sings.

"_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go bad_

_Good girls go bad, yeah_

_Good girls go bad."_

Disappointed that the song is almost over, Rachel sings her last part.

"_I was hanging in the corner _

_With my five best friends_

_I heard that you were trouble_

_But I couldn't resist."_

As Rachel sings, she looks at Puck and smiles slowly.

Only about a foot away from Rachel, Puck sings the last few lines.

"_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go_

_Good girls go bad bad bad_

_Good girls go bad bad bad_

_Good girls go bad."_

When they step off stage, Giselle and Michael take their places and start singing. Haylee and a group of girls Rachel doesn't know are dancing in front of the stage. Kurt and Blaine are in the middle of a heated debate over which decade had the best music. A few boys Rachel's never seen before are playing flip cup on the mini bar. When the doorbell rings, Rachel goes upstairs to get the door. As she walks past the powder room in the foyer, she hears Andrea throwing up. Lauren is also in the powder room, holding Andrea's hair back. Rachel opens the door and sees two uniformed police officers standing on the doorstep. Apparently her neighbors called to complain about the noise.

"The party's over," one of the officers says.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I know a lot of you wanted more Shelby/Rachel and Shelby wasn't even in this chapter. I really am taking your feedback into account. Shelby will be in the next few chapters. I really enjoy writing her and Rachel. Puck will also continue to play a big role. As you probably noticed, I incorporated a few of the lines from Blame It On The Alcohol. And, as I mentioned, the song was Cobra Starship's _Good Girls Go Bad_, which I thought was a good song for Puck and Rachel.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. As promised, this chapter has a lot of Rachel/Shelby. A few of you have asked when the rest of New Directions will make another appearance. The only members of New Directions that are main characters in this story are the ones that transferred to Carmel…Rachel, Puck and eventually Kurt. But, Vocal Adrenaline will be competing against New Directions at Regionals. Yes, I know they competed against each other in Season 1 and then didn't compete against each other in Season 2 so I guess it's AU. Personally I think it's weird that the Regional competitors changed from Season 1 to Season 2 in the show. The next chapter is going to be Sectionals so the Regional showdown is coming up, but there are going to be some chapters in between Sectionals and Regionals.

**Chapter 5**

After checking that the designated drivers are actually sober, the police officers let the teenagers go. Except for Rachel. It's her house. Her party. Her dads' liquor. And, it probably didn't help that she asked them if they had a search warrant and told them they were violating her civil liberties.

Clearly nervous, Puck's hand goes for hers and she holds on tight. He's still on probation. One wrong move and he's back in juvie. But, he can't leave Rachel behind. He got her into this mess. He steps between Rachel and the officers. But, the officers simply go around him to get to her. When an officer grabs her upper arm, Rachel winces. Puck is no longer able to control his temper. He turns to face the officers. His hands balled into fists.

"Is that really necessary?" Puck demands.

"Calm down, Son," one of the officers says.

"No! You can't arrest her!" Puck yells.

"I'm not going to tell you again. You need to calm down or you can join your little girlfriend," the officer says.

"Stop it, Puckerman," Rachel hisses.

Despite Rachel's fierce tone, she has a pleading look in her eyes. She won't be the reason he goes back to juvie. Puck takes a step back and holds up his hands in defeat.

"I'm sorry. Damn. I feel like such a bad boyfriend," Puck says quietly. Guilty, he looks down.

Rachel looks back over her shoulder and smiles sadly at Puck as the officers pull her to the police car.

Haylee also stayed behind. She didn't drink. Her parents are both lawyers. She knows enough to know she won't get in trouble. But, she can't say the same for Rachel. And, she knows none of the other members of Vocal Adrenaline can pull off Rachel's solo tomorrow. In fact, Shelby and Rachel are the only two people Haylee has ever seen do Barbra Streisand justice. When the officers arrest Rachel, Haylee calls her mom.

When they get to the police station, the officers let Rachel use the phone. She breathes a sigh of relief. Yes, her dads will be angry. But, they'll also get her out of there. She knows they would never let her spend the night in jail. They'll do whatever they have to. Transfer money. Get a lawyer.

But, when she tries both of her dads' cell phones, they go straight to voicemail. They're on a cruise in the Mediterranean. She doesn't know what the time difference is. They might be sleeping. She doesn't even know if their phones work. As she realizes she might not be going anywhere anytime soon, she panics. She doesn't know what to do. The officers tell her she can't leave without a parent or guardian and take her back to a holding cell. Sitting in the cell, Rachel just stares forward in shock. There's nothing she can do. She's helpless. She's in jail. She's going to miss Sectionals. Vocal Adrenaline is going to have to go one without her. Everyone is going to hate her. She lets a few tears roll down her cheek.

Unbeknownst to Rachel, Haylee's mom is talking to the police. When she tells Haylee that Rachel can't leave without a parent or guardian, Haylee calls a disbelieving Shelby. At the mention of her daughter's name, Shelby sits bolt upright in bed. Hearing that her daughter is in jail and needs Shelby to come get her, a powerful flood of emotions hits Shelby. Confusion. Shock. Anger. At her former team. And especially at Rachel. Shelby instantly agrees. She doesn't have to think about it. She knows what she has to do. While Shelby goes to the police station, Haylee babysits Beth.

Shelby Corcoran isn't stupid or naïve. She knows teenagers drink. She hears students talking about parties. When she was coaching Vocal Adrenaline, a few of her performers got minor in possession tickets. Yes, Shelby drank before she was twenty-one. But, she never drank the night before a performance. Her career was too important. She thought Rachel was the same as her. She obviously thought wrong. And now she wonders if there's anything she knows about Rachel.

When an officer gets Rachel out of the holding cell, she figures her dads got her voicemail. She's not going to miss Sectionals. Since the police broke her party up, the effect of the alcohol has worn off. She's just tired. She can't wait to go home. Take a shower. Get in bed. Unaware of what's about to happen, she smiles slightly as she follows the officer down the hallway. When they reach the front desk, she sees Shelby waiting. Rachel stands in the doorway, frozen. Shelby notices the moment of hesitation.

"Come on, Rachel," Shelby says.

Rachel follows Shelby, but stops just outside the police station.

"Shelby, why are you here?" Rachel asks, shocked and confused.

"A parent or guardian had to come get you," Shelby replies.

Hearing Shelby refer to herself as her parent, Rachel is confused at first. Shelby's her mother, but she's not her mom…Shelby said that. Rachel knows Shelby isn't considered a legal guardian. Shelby might be her biological mother, but legally the contract cut all ties. Rachel has parents, but Shelby isn't one of them. Shelby's nothing to her. At least that's what Rachel pretends. She's not willing to reveal her real emotions. So, she puts her show face on.

"Thank you," Rachel says. It's her standard response when anyone does anything for her. Automatic. Polite.

Shelby practically raced to the police station. She made it across town in record time. A glance at her cell phone tells Shelby it's 1:09 am. It's only been about twenty minutes since she left her house. And it's only been about a half hour since Haylee's phone call woke her up. She knows there was a party at Rachel's house. From the way Rachel looks, she's clearly been drinking. And Rachel still can't be bothered to apologize. Rachel doesn't feel the guilt she should be feeling. She's simply grateful that she doesn't have to spend the night in jail. And that's not good enough.

Bringing her hands to her hips, Shelby tilts her head to the side and kinks her eyebrows. "That's it?" Shelby says incredulously. "_Thank you_?" Shelby repeats. Her tone is mocking.

What was Rachel expecting? Shelby to tell her that she doesn't need to thank her…that Shelby's her mom and she needed her. No. This is more like it. Rachel doesn't know what to say. There aren't words for this occasion. But, it seems Shelby disagrees. Rachel doesn't know what Shelby wants her to say, but Shelby's clearly waiting for something.

"I've never been arrested before. Did you have to bail me out like on _Law and Order_? I have money. How much do I owe you?" Rachel says.

Shelby laughs humorlessly. She looks straight into her daughter's eyes. "Rachel, I don't want your money," Shelby says.

Rachel throws her hands up in the air. "I don't know what you want from me! I can't do this right now. I'm tired and I have to perform in the morning. Goodbye, Shelby," Rachel says.

Rachel starts walking away from Shelby. Shelby goes after her.

"You're tired? Rachel, I'm tired! I got a 1:00 am wake-up call!" Shelby yells, angry and frustrated.

Rachel stops and turns to face Shelby. "I didn't call you! I would never have called you!" Rachel cries out.

Shelby feels a little upset that her daughter would spend the night in jail before she would call her.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel calms down. "I apologize for my boyfriend. He shouldn't have bothered you. I can assure you that it won't happen again," Rachel says, figuring Puck called Shelby.

"He didn't. Haylee did," Shelby explains.

There's a hint of surprise in Rachel's eyes. She'll have to warn the members of Vocal Adrenaline not to ask Shelby to do her any favors. She doesn't know how much Shelby's told them, but they don't seem to realize that Shelby and Rachel don't have any kind of relationship.

"Well, thank you for not letting me rot in prison. I don't want to keep you," Rachel mutters.

Rachel starts to walk away. Again. She's going in the opposite direction of Shelby's Range Rover.

"That's the wrong way. My car's this way," Shelby says.

Rachel pauses, but doesn't turn around.

"I've already taken up too much of your time. You really don't have to drive me home," Rachel says.

Shelby knows she can't let Rachel walk home alone at this hour. It's not safe. Despite what Rachel seems to think, Shelby wants her daughter to be safe, protected, healthy and happy.

"Rachel, come on. You can't walk home alone," Shelby says.

"I'll be fine," Rachel says.

Shelby's not going to stand here and argue with her sixteen year old daughter all night. A few swift steps bring her close enough to grab Rachel's arm and turn her around.

"Get your butt in the car," Shelby says. She raises her voice. She's stern. Commanding.

Rachel stares at Shelby's hand. It's gripping her arm firmly. She looks up and is met with an implacable stare. She knows she doesn't really have a choice. Shelby is a few inches taller than her and in great shape physically. Rachel is not going to be able to get away from her. Angry and frustrated, she realizes she's fighting a losing battle. Yanking her arm away, Rachel takes a step away from Shelby.

"I want you to know that I'm only going with you because I'm tired and driving is faster than walking," Rachel says.

Shelby rolls her eyes. She starts walking to her car, not taking her eyes off Rachel in case the teenager decides to make a break for it.

Rachel's steps are short and slow. She feels like the walls are closing in on her. When she gets in the car, she's going to be stuck in a small, enclosed space with Shelby. It's suffocating. Her house is about fifteen minutes away. It will be the longest period of time she's spent in her mother's presence since Shelby said goodbye in McKinley's auditorium almost one year ago. Rachel reaches the car and reluctantly takes her place in the passenger seat.

They drive in silence for a few minutes. The tension rises higher with every minute. A part of Shelby thinks she should let Rachel be. Rachel already has two parents. Her dads can deliver her due punishment when they get home. Shelby has no right to play the role of an angry parent. But, she is angry. And, the angry part of her wants to confront her daughter. She wouldn't be Shelby if she didn't give a vicious tongue-lashing to a teenager that dared to rebel. So, Shelby finally breaks the silence.

"Did you have fun tonight? Was it worth throwing everything you've worked for away?" Shelby asks. It's a rhetorical question. An answer is unnecessary. They both know it wasn't worth it.

Rachel looks down. She feels guilty. Not for the wake-up call. Not for how she's behaved since getting out of jail. But, for betraying her dads' trust. And, also for putting popularity before Glee.

"Sectionals is tomorrow," Shelby says. A glance at the clock reminds her it's after 1:00 am. "Today actually," Shelby corrects. "It's unprofessional to show up hungover. You're tired. You're not going to have any energy on stage," Shelby says. Her tone is disapproving. Severe.

"I can still get a decent night's sleep. When I get home, I'll have approximately six hours before I have to get up. That's only one hour less than I get on an average night," Rachel says.

Rachel might not know that a few hours sleep isn't enough to sleep it off, but Shelby knows better. Rachel will realize that Shelby was right in the morning. So, Shelby moves on. And, her next words are just as harsh.

"What if I hadn't bailed you out? You would have missed Sectionals. Your team needs you," Shelby says. She tilts her head slightly and gives Rachel a disapproving look.

"My dads-"

"Your dads are on a cruise," Shelby cuts in. "And you told me that you would never have called me," Shelby reminds her.

Rachel sighs and looks away.

"You messed up. In this business, one mistake can ruin your career. Your reputation is so important. If you pull this crap in New York, no director will want to work with you," Shelby says.

Shelby wants to make sure Rachel's learned her lesson. She's being honest. Brutally honest. If Rachel messes up like this when she's in New York, there will be serious consequences. Rachel can't miss a performance or show up hungover. Shelby knows all too well how hard it is to not make it. She doesn't want that for Rachel.

But, the only thing Rachel's taking away from the lesson is that Shelby doesn't think she's good enough. Not to win Sectionals. And not to make her dream of starring in a Broadway musical come true. All Rachel can do is stare at her mother from where she sits with teary eyes.

"I hope Beth never makes a mistake," Rachel says.

When she looks at Rachel, Shelby sees the tears in her eyes and softens slightly. Rachel is finally feeling guilty. She knows she messed up.

"Rachel, everyone makes mistakes. I know I have. And, I know Beth will. When Beth messes up, I'm gonna be just as hard on her. Harder actually. If you were living with me, you wouldn't be leaving the house anytime soon," Shelby says.

There's a hint of surprise in Rachel's eyes. Shelby is Beth's mom. And, Shelby is treating Rachel like she would treat Beth. There are no kid gloves. She's harsh. Harsher than Rachel's dads would have been. But, maybe she's being so harsh because she cares.

As Shelby parks in Rachel's driveway, Rachel turns to face her mother.

"I'm truly grateful that you came. I want to apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused you. I'm never drinking before a performance again," Rachel says.

Shelby smirks. "Take some aspirin before you go to bed," Shelby advises.

Shelby waits until Rachel is in the house. Rachel turns back and waves at her before shutting the door behind her. She almost has a heart attack when Puck comes up from the basement carrying a trash bag. While she was in the holding cell, he cleaned up the aftermath of the party. Her hand on her heart, she looks at him.

"You scared me. I didn't think you were still here," Rachel says.

"I can't drive cause I've been drinking. And I wanted to be here when you got out. I was gonna call your dads, but Haylee thought her mom could get you out," Puck explains. He looks into Rachel's eyes. "I'm so sorry," Puck apologizes.

"It's okay," Rachel says quickly.

Surprised, Puck stares at her. He convinced her to have a party and the police broke it up. He didn't think she'd be this forgiving.

"It may have been your idea to have a party, but I allowed it. I need to take responsibility for my own actions. I got a ticket and my dads will be mad, but it was worth it. I had fun tonight. I don't regret it," Rachel explains.

"You know, this makes you kind of badass. It's hot," Puck says.

Rachel laughs. "Thank you. I need to get some sleep. I don't want to be tired tomorrow. You can stay. If you want," Rachel says.

In her bathroom, Rachel gets ready for bed. Following Shelby's advice, she takes some aspirin. When she comes out, she's wearing the tank top and shorts she always sleeps in. Puck's taken his t-shirt and jeans off and is only wearing boxers. When she sees him, she's surprised and embarrassed at first. Puck notices and smirks.

"You checking out my six pack?" Puck asks.

Blushing, Rachel looks down. "Your abs are lovely, Noah. But, I hope I didn't give you the wrong idea. Nothing can happen tonight. I really need to sleep. Besides, I'm not ready to go all the way," Rachel says.

"Relax. This is what I sleep in," Puck explains. "Is that cool?" Puck asks.

"Of course," Rachel replies.

As she gets in bed, Rachel double checks that her alarm is set for the morning. She lies down next to Puck, but as far away from him as she can possibly get while being in the same bed.

"Goodnight, Noah," Rachel says.

It doesn't take long for Rachel to fall asleep. She's had a long, hard night. As sleep comes, she rolls into Puck, cuddling against his chest. He wraps his arms around her.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. A warning: this chapter is really long.

**Chapter 6**

The morning of Sectionals Rachel learned first-hand what a hangover is. When she woke up, her head was throbbing. Opening her eyes, moving was painful. As soon as she got up, a wave of nausea hit her. She made it to the bathroom just in time to empty the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Now she's sitting next to Haylee on a bus with the rest of Vocal Adrenaline. Most of them also have hangovers. They're all using their own hangover cures. Andrea has a water bottle that hides vodka and 7Up…hair of the dog that bit her. Michael has a McDonald's bag and is eating a greasy breakfast sandwich to soak up the alcohol. Lauren is also eating, but she's eating saltine crackers. Giselle took aspirin and it did the trick. Giselle leans forward in her seat to talk to Rachel.

"How are you feeling?" Giselle asks. Her tone is sickeningly sweet.

Surprised, Rachel turns to face Giselle. Giselle alternates between ignoring Rachel completely and making her disdain for Rachel clear. Giselle has never said one kind word to Rachel. As pain shoots through her head, Rachel regrets the sudden movement. When she sees Giselle's wide smile, she knows Giselle is enjoying her pain.

"I'm fine," Rachel replies. Putting on her best show face, she smiles wide.

Giselle snickers. "You don't look fine. You look like hell," Giselle points out.

"Thanks," Rachel says sarcastically.

Giselle narrows her eyes. "If you can't do your solo, say so now," Giselle hisses. "Someone that knows how to hold their liquor will do it," Giselle says.

Rachel thinks for a moment. She doesn't want to give up her solo. But, remembering Shelby's words on the way home from the police station, she wonders if she should. She does have a hangover, and she doesn't know how it will affect her performance. They can't lose. Failure is simply not an option. But, before Rachel can say anything, Haylee turns around to face Giselle. Kinking her eyebrows, Haylee smirks.

"Someone like you?" Haylee asks. There's a hint of amusement in her voice. She knows how Giselle operates.

"Surely you're not suggesting you do it?" Giselle says. Her tone is mocking. "_I_ was the female lead last year when we won Nationals," Giselle reminds her.

"And you didn't have any solos. Jesse did. _That's_ why we won," Haylee points out. "But, no, I'm not suggesting I do it. You're the only one that doesn't think Rachel can do it. _She_ is the female lead this year. And, she's the only one here that can pull off Barbra," Haylee says.

Crossing her arms in front of her, Giselle sits back in her seat. Haylee and Rachel both face forward.

"I appreciate your defending me, but maybe she has a point. I do have a hangover. I've never felt this awful in my life. My head is killing me. We can't lose Sectionals because of me," Rachel admits. She lowers her voice so only Haylee can hear.

"We're not going to lose. We don't have any competition at Sectionals. The other schools are a boys' juvenile detention center that always tries to rap and a Catholic school that sings church hymns," Haylee explains.

Pushing her worries aside, Rachel breathes a sigh of relief. They're going to win. Vocal Adrenaline isn't going to lose Sectionals for the first time because of her.

While they were talking at the party, Puck offered the extra ticket to Sectionals to Kurt. Since Rachel gave him tickets that were supposed to be for the team's parents, he figures he'll be the only teenager. As a rule, he doesn't like adults and adults don't like him. They take one look at him and decide he's trouble. He needed reinforcements, and he couldn't exactly ask any of his friends in New Directions. So, now he's sitting in the passenger seat of Kurt's SUV as they drive to Sectionals.

"How's Rachel?" Kurt asks.

"She's kind of scary when she has a hangover," Puck says.

"How bad is it?" Kurt asks.

Puck just shrugs. "She threw up and she has a headache. But, she's Berry. She can sing in her sleep," Puck says.

"I hope you're right," Kurt says. "So how did she get out of jail anyway?" Kurt wonders.

"Her mom," Puck replies.

Kurt gasps. "And she's still alive? That woman is absolutely terrifying," Kurt says.

"I'm not scared of her," Puck says. He's slightly insulted. Puck isn't scared of anyone or anything. Seeing an angry Puck, Kurt cowers in the driver's seat. "But she is a bitch," Puck adds.

Kurt breathes a sigh of relief. Puck might be insulted, but he isn't reverting to bullying him. Kurt decides to change the subject before Puck's anger rises.

"New Directions is going to be there," Kurt says.

Puck still considers his former teammates friends. But, he doesn't know if they'll feel the same when they see him cheering for Vocal Adrenaline.

"They haven't seen Vocal Adrenaline perform with Rachel. Mercedes and Quinn want to scope out the competition," Kurt explains.

"Are they still pissed that Rachel jumped ship?" Puck asks.

"Yes," Kurt replies with certainty.

"You weren't in the green room with us at Sectionals. I know she can be annoying, but no one should be treated like that," Puck says.

"I may not have been there, but I, of all people, know how bullying can make you feel. I get it," Kurt says.

Puck looks at Kurt. "I'm sorry I did that to you," Puck says.

There's a hint of surprise in Kurt's eyes. He smiles. "It's okay," Kurt says.

In another car, Shelby is picking Jesse up from his parents' house.

Shelby might not be Vocal Adrenaline's coach anymore, but she coached them for years. She recruited most of the current members. She's their teacher. Their mentor. She writes letters of recommendations. She helps them get ready for auditions at their prospective colleges. She even keeps in touch with a few of her former students. So, when Haylee and Lauren told her they really wanted her to go to Sectionals, she couldn't say no. And, when Jesse mentioned that he was coming home for Sectionals in an email, she decided they were going together. She knows some of the parents aren't happy that she quit. Going with Jesse will make seeing them slightly less awkward.

Jesse was a part of Vocal Adrenaline for four years, and it's still a part of him. He loved high school. He was the star of Vocal Adrenaline. He was Shelby's favorite. The four National titles Vocal Adrenaline won while he was male lead helped him get exactly what he wanted. He got out of Lima. He got a full-ride scholarship to UCLA. He should be happy. Ecstatic. But, UCLA isn't what he thought it would be. He thought he'd be the male lead. Or, at least get solos. After all, he's Jesse St. James. But, he hasn't gotten one solo since he's been in LA. The juniors and seniors get all the solos while he harmonizes in the background. It's beneath him. He's homesick, and he used Sectionals as an excuse to go home for the weekend. Of course, his parents aren't there. But, he has the house to himself instead of sharing a dorm room with an annoying roommate. And, his former teammates will tell him how much they miss him. That he's irreplaceable. It will be a much needed ego boost.

As soon as Jesse opens the door, Shelby envelops him in a hug. He returns the hug, taking comfort in her arms. He didn't even know how much he missed her. When he was on Vocal Adrenaline, his teammates were jealous of him. None of the other boys ever got a solo. Even the girls got tired of performing songs that highlighted the male lead. He may have been popular, but he didn't have any friends he could really talk to. Only Shelby. She's his confidante. Because she had the same dreams, she understands him on a level no one else does. Except Rachel. They part and take their places in Shelby's car.

"How's college?" Shelby asks.

Jesse just shrugs. "Okay," Jesse mumbles.

The short answer tells Shelby that something is wrong. Turning to look at Jesse, she kinks her eyebrows.

Jesse sighs. "I should be happy. I got out of Ohio. I have a full-ride to UCLA. It should be enough for me," Jesse says.

"But it's not?" Shelby asks.

"I _need_ to be a star. My coach doesn't appreciate my talent. I haven't gotten any solos. I just mindlessly harmonize in the background. It's humiliating!" Jesse explains.

"When you were in high school, you were a big fish in a small sea. Now you're a small fish in a big sea," Shelby says.

Annoyed, Jesse rolls his eyes. "You're supposed to tell me that my coach must be crazy if he's not taking advantage of my talent," Jesse says.

Shelby smirks. "Come on, Jesse. You know me better than that. I'm trying to be honest. You're like me. When I went to New York, I thought I'd be starring in a Broadway musical within a week. I was the most talented singer in Lima. But, everyone trying to make it there was the most talented singer in their hometown. Look, I think you're gonna make it as an actor, but it's gonna take a while," Shelby says.

There are very few people Jesse respects, and Shelby is one of them. She's the first coach he ever had that was better than him. She's also the first coach that ever critiqued him, and she's the only one he listens to. So, when she tells him that he'll make it but it will take a while, he listens…and he believes her. He swallows the doubts and insecurities that have eaten away at him since he started UCLA. Shelby knows him better than his new coach. She knows what he's capable of. And, she believes in him.

"Patience is a virtue I'm sorely lacking," Jesse says.

Shelby smiles. "You're like me," Shelby repeats.

"You? Impatient?" Jesse asks, mock shocked. "Never!" Jesse says sarcastically.

Shelby lightly hits his shoulder. Jesse laughs.

When the bus stops in front of the theater, the members of Vocal Adrenaline get off and head in different directions. Fighting back a second wave of nausea, Rachel practically runs to the bathroom. The vodka and 7Up went right through Andrea, so she follows to use the bathroom. Giselle and Lauren find their dressing room. As Giselle does vocal warm-ups, Lauren stretches on the floor. Haylee buys a few bottled waters.

When Rachel comes out of the bathroom stall, she sees Andrea washing her hands. Andrea smiles sympathetically and offers her water bottle.

"Here. This'll help," Andrea says.

"Thanks," Rachel says, smiling.

Rachel takes a sip from the water bottle. She's expecting water. So, she's shocked when she tastes vodka. Cringing, she spits it out.

"Oh, did you think it was water?" Andrea asks. She doesn't need an answer. Rachel's expression tells her the answer. She can't help but laugh. "It's vodka and 7UP. Hair of the dog that bit you," Andrea explains. She shrugs.

As Rachel nods her head, she feels a flash of pain in her head. She's willing to try anything if it will make her feel better. She's only going to have a few sips. Just enough to cure her hangover. Not enough to get drunk. She can name famous performers that have been known to drink before they perform. She'll still be able to perform. Taking a deep breath, she drinks from the water bottle again. When she's done, Andrea takes another sip.

"I get nervous. I need a drink," Andrea says. Her tone is light. She laughs.

Surprised, Rachel stares wide-eyed at Andrea. She didn't think anyone in Vocal Adrenaline got nervous. They always seem so confident. Cocky even.

"You get nervous?" Rachel asks.

Andrea nods her head. "Nothing I do is ever good enough for my parents," Andrea explains.

Andrea can perform in front of thousands of teenagers at a school assembly. Easy. But, performing at a competition when her parents are in the audience unnerves her. She has a knot in her stomach.

Rachel knows exactly how Andrea feels. Every time she sees Shelby, she feels inadequate. They'd only known each other for a few weeks when Shelby cut all ties. Shelby wanted a daughter. After all, she adopted Beth. She just didn't want Rachel. It's an old wound, but it's never healed. And, now that Rachel's at Carmel, every time she sees Shelby, it cuts open the old wound. When she saw Shelby after her performance at the school assembly, her mother critiqued her performance. When her mother got her out of jail, she acted like Rachel's one mistake would ruin everything. She _thinks_ Shelby said what she did because she cares, but it still hurt.

"I know how you feel," Rachel says.

Andrea remembers Rachel's house. The first thing she saw was a portrait of Rachel. The hallway was filled with pictures of Rachel. Rachel in costume at school plays. Rachel in a leotard at dance recitals. Rachel holding up trophies after singing competitions.

"It kind of seems like your parents are your biggest fans," Andrea says.

"My dads are," Rachel says pointedly.

"But your mom isn't," Andrea concludes.

Rachel looks down. When she looks up, she has her show face on. A wide smile. Fake.

"We'll just have to show everyone that doesn't think we're good enough how wrong they are," Rachel says.

A determined glint in her eyes, Rachel leads the way to the dressing room. They're going to win. Her performance is going to be flawless. Even Shelby won't be able to find anything wrong with it.

While Vocal Adrenaline is getting ready, the theater is filling up. Show choir coaches. School principals. Teachers. Family and friends of the performers. Teams in other sections that are scoping out the competition. When Puck and Kurt walk in, they run into New Directions at the concession stand.

Confused and surprised, Finn looks from Kurt to Puck.

"What are you doing here?" Finn demands.

"The same thing you are. Scoping out the competition," Kurt replies.

Finn looks straight at Puck. "You're not in Glee anymore," Finn points out. His tone is accusatory.

"I'm here to see my girl," Puck says.

He can see the wheels turning in Finn's head. Finn hasn't even figured out who Puck is with, and anger is already bubbling beneath the surface. All of New Directions holds a grudge against Vocal Adrenaline. Especially Finn.

"You're with someone in Vocal Adrenaline?" Finn demands.

"I'm with Berry," Puck replies.

"What? Rachel? It's not bad enough that you had sex with my girlfriend! You're dating my ex?" Finn yells.

Puck shakes his head. "_You_ broke up with Berry! And, aren't you with Santana?" Puck points out.

"I- it doesn't matter! You know I was with Rachel! Friends just don't do that to each other," Finn snaps.

"Do what? Date each other's exes? Did you forget that Santana's my ex?" Puck asks incredulously.

"Rachel's different," Finn mutters.

"It's always different when it's you! Everyone thinks you can do no wrong! I'm sick of it!" Puck yells.

"You won't have to be sick of me anymore because we're not friends," Finn says.

As Finn leads New Directions away, Puck can only scowl.

When Puck and Kurt get to their row, they see that their seats are right next to Jesse St. James and Shelby.

"Is that who I think it is?" Kurt asks, shocked and horrified.

"St. Jackass," Puck mutters.

When Puck and Kurt take their seats, Jesse stares at them with wide-eyes. He recovers from the initial shock and smirks.

"This row is reserved for family and friends of Vocal Adrenaline," Jesse says.

Scowling, Puck turns to face Jesse.

"This seat is reserved for the lead singer's boyfriend," Puck says, an edge to his voice.

Jesse wonders if he misheard. When Jesse looks at Puck, he sees a screw up. When Jesse looks at Rachel, he sees a star. Rachel and Puck are polar opposites.

"You're with Rachel?" Jesse asks incredulously.

Puck leans forward. His hands ball into fists at his sides.

"You got a problem with that?" Puck demands.

"When we broke up, I thought she'd go running straight into Hudson's waiting arms, but _you_?" Jesse says. It's clear that he's insulted anyone could go from him to Puck.

Puck narrows his eyes. "Are you questioning the Puckzilla's sex appeal?" Puck asks.

Shelby cringes when the word _sex_ comes out of Rachel's boyfriend's mouth. She knows Puck has had sex. Beth is living proof of his exploits. But, she doesn't want to think about him having sex with her daughter. Suddenly her head feels too heavy to hold up. Her thoughts are heavy. The weight is crushing. She sighs. Focusing on Puck, she glares at him.

"You're not exactly her type," Jesse scoffs.

Puck knows he's not Rachel's type. Her type is a male lead. Finn. Jesse. And, they both hurt her. They may be her type, but she's too good for them.

"No, her type is assholes that treat her like shit," Puck mutters.

Puck's language gets the attention of everyone within earshot. He ignores the disapproving looks. Kurt snickers as he watches the scene unfold. But, Shelby isn't amused. No, she's visibly annoyed. She wouldn't be surprised if Puck started a fight, and she really doesn't want to take Jesse to the emergency room.

Jesse's arrogance fades a bit. He looks down, feeling guilty for being one of the assholes. His silence screams that Puck hit a nerve.

"I never thought I'd see the day that St. Jackass would be at a loss for words," Puck announces.

"That's enough," Shelby hisses. There's venom in her voice. Her tone is deadly.

Looking straight into Shelby's eyes, Puck laughs out loud.

"Well, if _you_ say so," Puck says. His tone is mocking. His disdain is clear.

If looks could kill, Shelby's expression would annihilate Puck. She leans over Jesse, so her face is right next to Puck's.

"I would love nothing more than to see you assault Jesse," Shelby says. She lowers her voice so only Puck can hear, but that doesn't lessen the power and the fury of her words.

Puck stares at Shelby as though she's lost her mind. And, slowly her expression changes. Tilting her head slightly to the right, she smirks.

"You're on probation. One mistake and you'll go back to juvie where you belong," Shelby continues.

Her words push Puck over the edge. Too angry to sit still, he jumps up and runs out of the theater. Not wanting to be alone in enemy territory, Kurt follows.

With an almost sinister laugh, Shelby relaxes back into her seat.

Puck stops just outside and punches the wall in frustration. Kurt takes his hand and examines it.

"Ugh! Why does everyone insist on pissing me off?" Puck yells.

"Okay. I don't think you and Jesse should be in the same room for any longer than absolutely necessary. Vocal Adrenaline goes last. There's a coffee shop a few blocks away. We can wait there," Kurt suggests.

They head to the coffee shop. When they get to the front of the line, Kurt orders a chai tea and Puck goes for a cup of black coffee. They take a seat at a table.

"I should tip Finn off and watch as Finn and St. Jerk beat the shit out of each other," Puck says.

"Let's talk about something other than Jesse," Kurt suggests. He leans in and lowers his voice. "Has your mom ever walked in when you had a girl in your room?" Kurt asks.

"My mom knows to knock," Puck replies.

"Oh. Blaine spent the night last night, and my dad walked in," Kurt says.

"Was he pissed?" Puck asks.

"You could say that," Kurt replies.

"That sucks," Puck says.

Kurt nods his head and takes a sip of his chai tea. "So, how are things going with Rachel?" Kurt asks.

The mention of Rachel brings a wide smile to Puck's face. When she dated him to make Finn jealous, Puck realized that he genuinely liked her. His feelings never went away. Her annoying habits ceased to annoy him. He has an instinct to protect her any time anyone hurts her. He's never felt like this about anyone.

"Better than ever," Puck replies.

Talking about Rachel seems to calm Puck down. When they finish their drinks, they start walking back to the theater. Seeing a display of flowers in front of a grocery store, Puck stops to get Rachel a bouquet of red roses. They put the flowers in Kurt's car until after the performance. They make it to their seats as the audience is clapping for the Catholic school.

"Maybe I should sit next to the saboteur," Kurt suggests.

Puck nods in agreement.

As they sit down, Vocal Adrenaline is announced. While the rest of the audience stares straight ahead at the stage, everyone that knows Rachel looks at the back of the theater. Rachel steps out from the back as she sings the first line of _Funny Girl_. Slowly everyone turns to watch her.

When she spots New Directions sitting in the last row, she freezes momentarily. No one can see her surprise. She has the perfect show face. Their presence only makes her more determined to bring her A-game. Every negative word they ever said to her fuels her. She's going to make them all eat their words.

Rachel looks for a friendly face in the crowd. She sees a friendly-looking man smiling warmly, and looks straight at him. She sings to him. She struts toward him. She's the picture of confidence. Her gestures are dramatic and playful. She serenades him for a few seconds and then moves on.

She's looking for Puck in the audience. She's almost reached the stage when she finally sees him. For a second, she's filled with warmth. And then, she notices Jesse just a seat away from Puck. At first, she can't believe her eyes. Jesse shouldn't be there. Jesse is supposed to be in LA, where he can't hurt her. But, here he is only a few feet away from her. And, when their eyes meet, she misses a note.

She curses herself silently. She's Rachel Berry. She never misses a note. She's been practicing Barbra since she was four. She could do it in her sleep. But, one look at him, and she misses a note. Very few audience members even notice. Of course, Shelby and Jesse pick up on it. Knowing they will makes the mistake even worse for Rachel.

But, the show must go on. Rachel is a professional. She continues singing as if nothing happened. She uses the feelings that Jesse's presence stirs. She knows exactly how Barbra felt. She wasn't enough for Jesse. She pours her heart into the rest of the song.

Standing on stage, she belts out the last few lines. Unbeknownst to her, she's mimicking Shelby's performance in Carmel's auditorium the day Rachel realized the Vocal Adrenaline coach was her mother.

Shelby breathes a sigh of relief when Rachel recovers from her mistake. And, the rest of the performance is flawless. Once again, Shelby sees Rachel sing, and can't help but think that Rachel is her. The subtle movements that add to the drama, the theatrical gestures, the facial expressions, the voice…it's Shelby.

When the song is over, the rest of Vocal Adrenaline joins Rachel on stage. They start singing _Under Pressure_. Dakota Stanley did the choreography. It's hard. Punishing. But, it's also beautiful. There are turns and lifts. They move in perfect synchronization. Every one of them breaks a sweat, but they make it look effortless. Their show faces are perfect. Wide smiles.

"They would do Queen. Again," Kurt says, rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but is this coming from the team that has done every Journey song written," Jesse scoffs.

One look from Shelby silences both of them.

By the time the song ends, almost all of the audience members are standing up cheering. Except for New Directions. They're sitting back in their seats, arms crossed in front of them.

"As much as I hate to admit it, and I do hate to admit it, girl's good," Mercedes says.

"She's a freaking pain in the ass," Santana mutters.

Quinn nods in agreement.

"Face it. Rachel's always been good, and now she's got twenty-five back-up singers that are better than all of us," Finn points out.

"And they can dance," Mike adds.

"Speak for yourself. I could take any of those girls anytime, anywhere," Mercedes says.

"We're screwed," Finn mutters

It doesn't take long for the judges to decide. No one is surprised when they announce Vocal Adrenaline as the winner. Rachel's wide smile is genuine. When Dustin hands her the trophy, she raises it above her head in triumph.

After the excitement dies down, they go to find their parents and friends. Rachel doesn't even look at Jesse or Shelby. She won't. She never wants to see Jesse St. James again. And, she doesn't know what to say to Shelby. When Shelby bailed her out of jail, for the first time, Rachel felt like Shelby was her mom. But, now Shelby's here with the boy that broke her daughter's heart into a million pieces. He cracked an egg on her forehead. He humiliated her. Any real parent would want to kill him for hurting their child. And, Shelby's smiling and laughing with him. It's a reminder that Shelby isn't her mom.

Rachel goes to Puck. He's holding a bouquet of red roses in front of him.

"I got these for you," Puck says.

Rachel smiles as she takes them. "Thank you, Noah," Rachel murmurs.

With one hand holding the flowers, Rachel puts her other hand around Puck's neck and rests her head against his chest. As he holds her, Puck notices Jesse a few feet away staring at Rachel. Puck instinctively tightens his hold on Rachel. His expression tells Jesse to stay away.

Ignoring Puck, Jesse approaches Rachel. When Rachel looks up and sees him, her smile fades a bit.

"Your rendition of _Funny Girl_ was flawed. You missed a note, but it had the emotional depth of the original," Jesse says.

Of course he caught the missed note. She knew he would. Embarrassed, Rachel looks down. When it becomes clear that she's not going to respond, Jesse continues.

"I came back for the weekend. I couldn't miss Sectionals. I couldn't miss seeing you again," Jesse says.

Surprised, Rachel looks up slowly. "You knew I was in Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel asks.

"Shelby told me," Jesse replies.

Rachel looks past him and sees Shelby talking to Haylee. Rachel's expression hardens. Jesse doesn't deserve to know anything about her life. Rachel wonders what else Shelby has told him. She shouldn't have told him anything. Even if she doesn't know Rachel all that well, she should have known better.

Shelby can feel Rachel's eyes burning a hole in the back of her head. She glances at Rachel. What she sees is pure fury in Rachel's eyes. She doesn't understand where it came from. Rachel's last words to her were a thank you and an apology. The only thing Shelby can think of is that Puck told her what happened between them earlier. Shelby was going to tell Rachel that her performance was good, but she doesn't want to fight with Rachel. Not here. Not in front of her students. Not now.

"But, she didn't tell me that Puckerman followed you to Carmel like a lovesick puppy," Jesse continues.

Puck takes a step forward. His hands are balled into fists. Rachel puts her hand on his. He stops suddenly. She has a calming effect on him. She gently uncurls his fist and holds his hand tightly.

"He didn't. He was expelled from McKinley," Rachel says.

Jesse snickers at the revelation.

"He's not good enough for you. You're going to be a star on Broadway, and he's going to be in the state penitentiary," Jesse says.

"He treats me how I deserve to be treated. He defends me. Don't you see that he's twice the man you'll ever be?" Rachel snaps.

Her words hit Jesse hard. He remembers how everyone in New Directions treated her. They didn't appreciate her talent. They didn't listen to any of her ideas. Ever since he saw her at Sectionals last year, he's known how talented she is. He listened when she talked. He believed in her.

"I treated you better than any of them," Jesse says.

Rachel stares at him disbelieving. "You played me. And, when the game was over, you egged me," Rachel reminds him. She looks up at Puck and smiles slightly. "Noah's love is real," Rachel says.

Jesse sighs slowly. He knows he hurt her. He's regretted it since the moment that egg left his hand. If he could go back, he would do things differently. But, he can't undo what he's done. And, he has to live with the consequences of his actions. The only girl he's ever loved hates him.

"I'm so sorry," Jesse says.

"I forgive you," Rachel says.

"What?" Puck demands.

"When Jesse broke my heart, I was so angry and hurt. But, holding onto that anger isn't good for me. I need to let go of the past. My future is with you," Rachel explains.

A simple apology and all is forgiven. Jesse knew it couldn't be that easy. She might forgive him, but she's not going to give him a second chance. No, he had a chance and he blew it. There's no clean slate. And, deep down he knows he doesn't deserve one.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm going to do everything I can to earn it," Jesse says.

"That's unnecessary. We're not together anymore. We're not even friends. If we see each other at any future Vocal Adrenaline performances, we'll be professional," Rachel says.

They weren't friends? There was a time when they could tell each other anything. They talked about everything. She understood him better than anyone. Even his own teammates. They shared their dreams. They were friends. And, a friendship like theirs is rare.

"We're not just going to see each other at Vocal Adrenaline performances. We're both destined to be stars on Broadway. When we are, I hope we can be friends again. I've missed your friendship," Jesse says.

Jesse walks away. Rachel watches as he joins Shelby. They leave together. Shelby came with Rachel's ex-boyfriend. Shelby talked to Rachel's teammates. But, Shelby didn't bother to say one word to Rachel. Even a critique would be better than this…nothing.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The day Rachel was born was the best day of Hiram and Leroy Berry's lives. They'd always wanted to have a child. They started the process for adoption, but it was long and drawn out. They were approved and put on a waiting list for a newborn. After almost two years, they still didn't have the child they longed for. So, they took matters into their own hands. They found a surrogate. They paid her well. What she was giving them was priceless. A baby. A family. When Shelby Corcoran agreed to be their surrogate, she didn't hesitate to sign the contract Leroy had drawn up. She was only nineteen. She didn't want a child. She looked at it as a means to an end. But, when Rachel was born, Shelby wanted to hold her. They could see the longing in her eyes as she looked at Rachel. Feeling threatened, they denied her request. They didn't know if she'd be able to let Rachel go if she held her. Rachel was their daughter. They already loved her. Her home was with them. They didn't want their child going back and forth between their home and Shelby's. They didn't want to be away from Rachel for even a day. All Shelby could do was stare at them with tears of regret in her eyes.

Rachel spends the night before her dads get home nervous and scared, tossing and turning. She can't recall exactly what she said in the voicemail she left on her dad's cell phone, but she knows the word _jail_ came out of her mouth. Of course, they called her as soon as they got the voicemail and demanded an explanation. Without going into details, Rachel convinced them that she was okay. But, she knows they're going to want answers when they get home. She debated whether she should lie or tell the truth. Puck cleaned up after the party. Shelby bailed Rachel out. Rachel has enough money in her account to cover the cost of the ticket. She could make up an excuse for the voicemail. Concoct a story. But, she doesn't want to lie to them. She's always been close to her dads, told them everything. They trust her completely, and she doesn't want to break their trust any more than she already has. So, when they arrive, she comes clean.

"I had a party. It got out of hand, and the neighbors called the police. They arrested me, and I have a ticket," Rachel admits.

"Are you sure they arrested you? They didn't just write you a ticket?" Leroy asks.

"They arrested me," Rachel confirms.

Leroy frowns. "They're not supposed to release minors without a parent or guardian," Leroy says.

Rachel looks down. That's the one part she wanted to leave out. Not to save herself. Shelby's role in her release won't affect the sentence her dads hand down. No, it will just hurt her dads' feelings.

"They didn't," Rachel says.

For a moment, Leroy is perplexed. He and Hiram were on a cruise ship when their daughter was arrested. They are her parents. Unless…Shelby.

"Shelby?" Leroy asks.

Rachel nods her head.

Hiram looks at Leroy. "I'm no lawyer, but she's not Rachel's legal guardian. Is that even legal?" Hiram mutters.

"If she just said that she's Rachel's mother, they would never know that she's not a legal guardian. The important thing is that Rachel's okay," Leroy says.

They both focus on Rachel. Neither knows where to start. Their daughter is not okay. Teenagers that are okay don't usually get arrested. Her behavior is out of character. She's never even been to a party, and now suddenly she's having wild and crazy parties. But, physically she is okay. She's not in jail. No, Shelby got her out of jail. They can't help but feel jealous that Shelby was there for their daughter when they couldn't be. Deep down they know they should be grateful that their sixteen year old daughter didn't spend the night in a jail cell. They push their own feelings aside. Rachel's feelings are more important. To the best of their knowledge, Rachel hasn't had any contact with Shelby in almost a year. And, after their conversation at Regionals, Rachel came home crying. She's still a child. She shouldn't have to deal with a mother that isn't ready to be a parent. Rachel spent hours with her therapist trying to work through her mommy issues. They don't know how exactly Shelby's presence in her life will affect their daughter this time around.

"I didn't think you had any contact with her," Hiram says.

Rachel can hear the hint of jealousy in her dad's voice. She starts explaining that she doesn't keep in contact with Shelby.

"I don't. She said goodbye to me last year. When I've seen her at school, it's been awkward. I didn't call her. Someone in Glee called her. She was at Sectionals on Saturday, and she didn't even talk to me," Rachel says. Her voice is calm and controlled. No one would know that she's holding back tears. Not even her dads.

Of course, Rachel knows her mother talked to every single member of Vocal Adrenaline at Sectionals. Except Rachel. But, somehow it sounds worse when she says it out loud.

Hiram breathes a sigh of relief while Leroy holds in his own relief. Shelby hasn't suddenly become Rachel's mom in the last few months. Rachel didn't even call Shelby. The first and only call Rachel made was to them. They are Rachel's parents.

"Rachel, do you know how much that costs?" Leroy asks. His tone is disapproving.

Rachel just shakes her head.

"We'll cover the costs," Hiram says.

"I tried to pay her back, but she wouldn't let me," Rachel says.

Hiram looks at Leroy. They don't need words to communicate. Neither of them is comfortable with Shelby spending that much money on their daughter.

"You're our responsibility," Hiram says firmly.

"She probably just didn't want to take your money. We'll give you a check, and we want you to give it to her," Leroy says.

"We'll also cover the cost of the ticket, but you'll pay us back for that," Hiram says.

Rachel nods in acceptance and hands the ticket to her dad.

"How much did you drink?" Leroy asks.

"I only had two drinks," Rachel replies.

"You're sixteen years old. I know teenagers experiment with alcohol, but two drinks is a lot for you. You're tiny. I want you to talk to your therapist about drinking," Leroy says.

"I don't have a drinking problem," Rachel protests.

"Let's just see what she says," Leroy says.

"We trusted you. We left you alone," Hiram reminds her.

"I'm so sorry. I've always been honest with you. I never wanted to break your trust," Rachel says.

"But, you did. We can't trust you anymore," Hiram says.

Rachel's chin drops and a tear rolls down her cheek.

"You're going to have to earn back our trust," Leroy tells her.

They weren't as harsh as Shelby had been, but somehow they made her feel even worse than Shelby did. They didn't have to call her unprofessional or tell her that one mistake could ruin her career. All they had to do is tell her that she broke their trust and Rachel is flooded with guilt. And, now she has a new challenge. She has to earn back their trust. She'll do anything to rebuild what she broke. And, she has to repay Shelby. But, how can she do that when Shelby won't even talk to her? Shelby had every opportunity to talk to her at Sectionals. A simple congratulations would have been sufficient. One word. Rachel didn't get that. Rachel's dreading the conversation she has to have with Shelby. So, she sits down at her desk and types what she has to say instead.

_Dear Shelby,_

_My dads insist on repaying you for any costs you may have incurred when you bailed me out of jail. Please find enclosed a blank check._

_Thank you again._

_Sincerely,_

_Rachel Berry_

The letter is short. To the point. Rachel is polite, but not friendly. She might as well be writing to a perfect stranger instead of her mother. And, that's exactly what Shelby is. Rachel doesn't know her. It upsets Rachel that the _sincerely_ is appropriate.

Rachel prints the letter. Out of habit, she places a gold star sticker next to her name. She stares at the sticker for a second and remembers when Shelby gave her the gold star glass. _Gold stars are kind of my thing_. How can they be so similar, yet so different? Rachel sighs and folds the letter into thirds. She puts the letter and the blank check her dad signed in an envelope. She scrawls Shelby's name in her neat handwriting.

Now she just has to get it to Shelby without actually seeing Shelby. But, every time Rachel stops by Shelby's office during school hours, Shelby is there. So, Rachel waits until after everyone leaves rehearsal at midnight and slides the envelope under Shelby's office door. As she leans down, she feels a hand on her shoulder and jumps in surprise. She turns and sees Kurt. Her shock turns into confusion.

"Kurt? What are you doing here?" Rachel asks.

"I was hoping you could help me. I've been waiting outside for Vocal Adrenaline to be done rehearsing. Everyone else left and I didn't see you, so I came in to look for you," Kurt replies.

"How can I help you?" Rachel asks.

"Dalton is expensive. As is, my dad and Carole used the money my dad saved for their honeymoon to pay my tuition. Dalton's raising tuition next semester. I know my dad can't afford it, but I can't go back to McKinley. I can't live in constant terror of Karofsky. I want to audition for Vocal Adrenaline," Kurt replies.

Rachel smiles slightly. Everyone on Vocal Adrenaline has been nice enough to her. Except Giselle. But, she still feels like an outsider. Everyone else has been on the same team for over a year. Most of them grew up together. They've been singing in music class together since elementary school. They take dance classes at the same dance studio. Up until a week ago, Rachel was their competition. It would be nice to have Kurt there with her.

"I'll put in a good word with Mr. Goulsby," Rachel says.

The first thing Shelby does when she gets to Carmel High in the morning is go to her office. Juggling a cup of coffee, her cell phone and her keys, she opens her office door. She sees an envelope on the floor just inside her office. It's odd. All of the teachers have a mailbox in the main office. It wouldn't be the first time a student left a note under her door, but their notes are almost always handwritten on loose leaf paper.

Shelby sits down and looks at the envelope. She doesn't recognize the handwriting. All it says is her name. Shelby. Not Ms. Corcoran. It's not from a student. Curious, she opens the envelope and takes Rachel's letter out.

As she unfolds the letter, a check falls out. She picks the check up and stares at it. A blank check signed by Hiram Berry. The thin piece of paper feels heavy in her hands. She doesn't need to read the letter to know exactly what the check is.

Sixteen years ago, she held a similar check in her hands. But, it wasn't blank. No, it was made out for $30,000. That's the price Hiram and Leroy Berry were willing to pay for a child. It was more than enough for Shelby to live in New York for two years. They got a child, and Shelby got to live her dream. She thought it was a fair deal at the time. Now she knows how wrong she was.

The moment Rachel was born changed everything. Shelby only saw her for a second while the nurses were cleaning her off. Rachel turned her head and looked right at Shelby. Rachel seemed to know Shelby was her mother. Anyone that looked at them would know. The baby had her mother's brunette hair and wide smile. Shelby just wanted to hold her, but Hiram and Leroy denied her request. She couldn't hold her own daughter.

She signed away her rights as a parent when she signed the contract Hiram and Leroy drew up. At the time, she was unaware of the impact her signature would have. She understood the contract, but she didn't know that it would lock her into her own hell. She couldn't know. Not until the moment Rachel was born. And, by then, it was too late. She couldn't erase her signature. The contract was binding. It wasn't just a piece of paper. No, it was the chains that bound her to desolation.

Shelby watched the nurses take her daughter away. It didn't take long for Hiram and Leroy to follow. They left with genuine smiles. They were clearly over the moon. What was the best day of their life was one of the worst days in Shelby's life.

Shelby was left lying in the hospital bed. Staring at the space her daughter used to occupy, she'd never felt so alone. The sound of the newborn's cries faded. The silence was excruciating. She'd carried the baby for nine months. She didn't know when exactly she started to think of the baby inside her as her child, but she had. Her daughter had been her constant companion. And, then her daughter was gone just like that. The emptiness was crushing.

Regret came quickly. She didn't waste time thinking about what she would have done differently. She knew she couldn't rewrite history. But, she couldn't help but think about the future. Would she ever see her daughter again? Would she even recognize her daughter if she saw her some day? When Shelby had her own family, would her children ever know their half-sister? Would it all be worth it? Would Shelby become a star?

Yes, sixteen years ago, Hiram and Leroy Berry wrote her a check for their daughter. And, now they're writing her yet another check for Rachel. She learned the hard way that a piece of paper isn't just a piece of paper. No, a piece of paper has the power to forever change her life. This check is a reminder that Rachel is their daughter. Not Shelby's. The money comes with strings attached. Stay away from their daughter.

Shelby sets the check down and picks up the letter. Her eye is drawn to the gold star sticker, and it dawns on her that the letter is from Rachel. Not Rachel's dads. Her eyes go to the name next to the sticker for confirmation. It's not the _sincerely_ that gets to Shelby, but the painful fact that Rachel felt it necessary to sign her full name…_Rachel Berry_. How many Rachels does Rachel think Shelby knows? Did Rachel think Shelby wouldn't know who she was?

Shelby closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, mentally preparing to read her daughter's words. And, when she does, the words have as much of an impact on her as they would if Rachel were cursing at her. Rachel isn't vicious. There's no sign of the anger Rachel felt toward Shelby at Sectionals. In fact, she doesn't express any real emotion in the letter. The letter is all business. There's no sign that it's from a daughter to her mother. Rachel is simply repaying a debt. Granted, the check is coming from her dads and Shelby knows it's from them as much as it's from Rachel. But, when Rachel recovered from the initial shock of Shelby bailing her out, one of the first things she said was _how much do I owe you_. She didn't want to feel indebted to Shelby. But, Shelby wanted to do that one thing for her daughter. It was the first time Rachel needed her. She wasn't exactly happy that her daughter was in jail, but it felt good to be needed, to be able to give Rachel something that her dads couldn't. She didn't think twice about paying the bail. She would gladly pay Rachel's bail a thousand times over. So, she takes the check and rips it into tiny pieces.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I know everyone has their own opinion on Shelby. Despite how it may seem, I don't dislike her. But, I do think she could have handled things with Rachel better. I'm trying my best to keep her in character. I think she loves Rachel, but she doesn't always do what's best for Rachel. Sometimes she is selfish when it comes to her daughter. And, Coach Corcoran is a hardass. I'm not trying to make her out to be a bad person. Keep in mind that this story is written primarily from Rachel's point of view. This chapter is partially written from Shelby's perspective and shows a different side to her.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Today is the day Kurt auditions for Vocal Adrenaline. Yesterday, Rachel stayed after Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal ended to help Kurt. He wanted to practice in Carmel's auditorium before his audition. And, he wanted Rachel's advice since she knows his audience. At first, she suggested that he sing _Don't Cry For Me Argentina_, the song she helped him with when he auditioned for a solo at Dalton. But, he didn't get that solo, and he didn't want to use the same song. They debated and finally settled on the Beatles' _Help_. He knows it's a good fit for his voice. Last time he sang a Beatles song, he won his audience over. He's feeling confident as he steps on stage. His confidence fades a bit when he sees all twenty-six members of Vocal Adrenaline and their coach sitting in the auditorium staring at him. Rachel didn't have to audition, but everyone already knew she could sing. When Vocal Adrenaline told Dustin about Rachel, he watched her videos online. He knew he wanted her when he approached her at McKinley's Sectionals. He's never heard Kurt sing. As Kurt belts out _Help_, Dustin makes note of his strengths and weaknesses. He's a good singer, but he needs to work on his show face. From the whispers he can hear, his team agrees with his assessment. When the song ends, Kurt focuses on Dustin, waiting for an answer.

"I know you can sing, but can you dance?" Dustin asks.

"Yes," Kurt replies.

Dustin nods his head. "Welcome to Vocal Adrenaline. We rehearse until midnight every night. You can't leave practice for any reason. If you break the rules, you're off the team. Do you understand?" Dustin says.

It's not a warm welcome. It's more of a warning. Dustin is no Shelby Corcoran, but he's still a hard ass. Shelby trained him. He's used her rehearsal schedule and rules. But, Kurt knew what he was getting himself into. He doesn't have to go back to McKinley. This is his way out. And, he takes it.

Dustin tells him to join the other members of Vocal Adrenaline. He doesn't want to use rehearsal time to do Kurt's paperwork, so Kurt will meet him in the office the next morning. Kurt takes the seat next to Rachel.

"Congratulations," Rachel whispers.

Dustin takes Kurt's place on stage. During their last rehearsal, they watched video of their performance at Sectionals. Dustin critiqued it, and made them work on the numbers until they were perfect. Now, they're going to start getting ready for Regionals.

"We need to start getting ready for Regionals. The show choir committee wants every choir to perform an anthem and a duet this year," Dustin says.

When she hears that they're doing an anthem and a duet, Rachel's first thought is that she's not going to have a solo. Rachel frowns.

"What about my solo?" Rachel asks.

When Rachel fought for solos at McKinley, everyone was annoyed. But, here, everyone is more confused than annoyed. She's the best singer in Vocal Adrenaline. And, the best singer always gets the lion's share of the solos. Only Dustin knows that Will didn't give Rachel any solos at Sectionals. It is no wonder Rachel is ready to fight for what's rightfully hers.

"No one's getting a solo. You're going to be the female lead for the duet," Dustin says.

Appeased, Rachel relaxes back in her chair. She's already coming up with ideas for the duet. The others are more interested in the anthem because it will be their only chance to sing. Sticking with what's worked well in the past, they start throwing out ideas of Queen and AC/DC songs.

"_We Will Rock You_," Giselle calls out.

"_We Are The Champions_," Haylee counters.

Their ideas are met with approval from the original members of Vocal Adrenaline. Kurt raises his eyes to the ceiling. They just did Queen at Sectionals. And they did Queen at Regionals last year. It's old and tired. He looks at Rachel and can tell she's thinking the same thing.

"If I may, I think we should do something other than Queen," Kurt says.

Giselle gives Kurt a dirty look. "We beat you when we did _Bohemian Rhapsody_, did we not?" Giselle reminds him.

"_T-N-T_," Lauren suggests.

"_Welcome To The Jungle_," Michael calls out.

"Everyone's going to expect us to do classic rock. We need to do the unexpected. I propose we find something more recent that we've never done before," Rachel says.

"What about _All The Right Moves_ by One Republic?" Andrea asks.

"In my opinion, Jimmy Eat World's _A Praise Chorus_ truly expresses what Vocal Adrenaline is," Rachel says.

"Guys, that's enough ideas for the anthem. We need to find a duet," Dustin says.

Rachel's hand shoots up. She doesn't wait for permission to speak.

"Mr. Goolsby, I think we should do _I Got You Babe_ by Sonny and Cher_,_" Rachel calls out.

By the time rehearsal is over, they have multiple potential set lists.

"I'm not used to this. It's, what, the second practice after Sectionals? And, we're already working on the set list for Regionals," Kurt says.

"I know," Rachel says. She smiles slightly. "And that's exactly why Vocal Adrenaline always wins," Rachel adds.

"I think I'm going to like it here," Kurt says.

"Aren't you going to miss Blaine?" Rachel asks.

"Blaine and I have made peace with the fact that we're going to be at different schools. And, it will be nice to be able to wear any of the number of designer clothes in my closet instead of a uniform," Kurt replies.

"Does Finn know?" Rachel asks.

Kurt shakes his head. "I was waiting until after my audition to tell him," Kurt explains.

"Good luck," Rachel says.

When Kurt gets home, he takes Finn a glass of milk. At first, Finn doesn't look up from his video game.

"As you know, Dalton's raising tuition next semester and my dad can't afford it," Kurt says.

"That sucks," Finn mumbles, never taking his eyes off the screen in front of him.

"It's actually okay. I won't be going back to McKinley," Kurt says. He waits for a moment, but Finn doesn't respond. "I'm going to Carmel," Kurt continues.

The mention of Carmel gets Finn's attention. Finn drops his Xbox controller and turns to face Kurt.

"What?" Finn asks.

"I'm going to Carmel. You're looking at the newest member of Vocal Adrenaline," Kurt says. He smiles nervously.

"You can't do that!" Finn yells.

"Why not? Why can't I go to a school where I won't get slushied every day? Why can't I go to a school where I don't have to live in fear of Karofsky?" Kurt demands.

"We need you," Finn says.

"And I need to feel safe at school!" Kurt yells.

When their raised voices carry to the master bedroom, Burt gets up. He knocks and then opens Finn's bedroom door.

"What's going on in here?" Burt demands.

"Nothing," Kurt says quickly.

A disbelieving Burt wants to know what's going on. But, his exhaustion makes him let it go. He reminds them that it's late and they have school in the morning. Kurt goes to his own room.

As they eat breakfast at the kitchen table the next morning, Kurt and Finn don't say one word to each other. Every time Kurt looks at Finn, he's met with an angry stare.

When Burt and Kurt go to Carmel to fill out paperwork, Burt tries again to find out what's going on between Kurt and Finn.

"What's going on with you and Finn?" Burt asks.

"Finn's mad that I'm going to Carmel instead of McKinley," Kurt replies.

"I don't get it. He wasn't mad when you transferred to Dalton," Burt points out.

"Vocal Adrenaline is New Directions' biggest rival," Kurt explains.

Across town, Finn is telling New Directions exactly what Kurt's doing.

"Kurt's transferring to Carmel. He's joining Vocal Adrenaline," Finn says.

"No. Kurt wouldn't do that," Mercedes says.

"Okay, first, they steal Rachel, and, now, Kurt. This is insane," Quinn says, an edge to her voice.

"Don't forget Sunshine," Santana reminds her.

"If they have Rachel and Kurt, we're never going to win," Artie says quietly.

"Maybe not at Regionals, but they're going down," Santana mutters.

Quinn looks at her. "What are you thinking?" Quinn wonders.

"What I'm always thinking. Revenge," Santana replies. Her tone is matter of fact.

"I don't know," Finn mumbles.

Santana glares at him. "I do," Santana says.

"I agree with her," Quinn says.

Together, Santana and Quinn convince everyone to go along with their plan. Finn and Mercedes are the most difficult sells. As angry as he is that Rachel transferred to Carmel knowing it would hurt New Directions, a part of him still cares about her. Mercedes and Kurt are good friends. It's not the words of the other Glee members, but the sense of betrayal that persuades them to give in. The others are only angry that two talented members were stolen from them, but Finn and Mercedes are angry and hurt. It's a dangerous combination. They decide to go with the familiar…a slushie attack.

Unaware that his old team is plotting revenge, Kurt finds himself liking Carmel. Kurt didn't think he'd find the zero tolerance bullying policy and a popular Glee Club anywhere except Dalton. But, if possible, Vocal Adrenaline is even more popular than the Warblers. Still, the only person he's comfortable around is Rachel, so he's been sticking close to her.

When they go off campus for lunch with the other members of Vocal Adrenaline, Kurt goes in Rachel's car. Puck would have tagged along, but he got lunch detention for cutting class that morning. When they get back to Carmel High, they park in the parking spaces reserved for Vocal Adrenaline members. As they get out of Rachel's car, they wait for the others to join them. Suddenly they're surrounded by New Directions. Quinn and Santana step forward, slushies in their hands, clearly leading the charge. The others are only a step behind. Rachel looks at Kurt with wide eyes. Kurt just looks resigned to their fate. The other members of Vocal Adrenaline are visibly confused. They don't know what's about to happen. Taking a step forward, Rachel looks straight at Finn.

"Do it," Rachel challenges.

Rachel should know better. Almost a year ago, she said those exact words to Jesse and it did not end well. Somehow she thinks this will be different. Finn loved her. Somewhere deep down he has to remember that. And, he does. But, instead of stopping him, his feelings fuel his anger. With trembling hands, he lifts the slushie in his hands. She closes her eyes as the icy drink hits her face. When she hears her teammates gasp and then curse, she knows they got slushied, too.

"You're mad because I had sex with Santana. I didn't want to hurt you. We weren't even together. But, what you did didn't just hurt me. It hurt the entire Glee Club. I can't forgive you for that," Finn says.

By the time the Vocal Adrenaline members recover from the initial shock and wipe the icy drink from their eyes, New Directions is long gone. The only sign that they were even there is the slushie covering them.

"What the hell?" Michael demands.

"This is a brand new dress and it's ruined," Haylee mutters, looking down at the purple stains on her yellow dress. "They're going to pay for this!" Haylee says.

"This is war," Giselle says, furious. She looks at Rachel and kinks her eyebrows in silent challenge. "Are you with us?" Giselle asks.

Rachel sighs slowly. When New Directions was plotting revenge against Vocal Adrenaline last year, Rachel was a willing participant. After all, she was the wounded party. She was the one that was egged. Getting slushied isn't on par with getting egged. Maybe only because she's a vegan. Or maybe because she's gotten used to getting slushied. While she was at McKinley, it was a daily occurrence. She doesn't want to take part in Giselle's evil plot. She knows from being the target that whatever Vocal Adrenaline does will be ten times worse than what New Directions just did. But, she can't say no. She'll do anything to be part of a team. To have friends. Nothing she ever did was enough for New Directions. She's not going to lose her spot on Vocal Adrenaline by sticking her neck out there for the people that just slushied her.

"Yes," Rachel says quietly.

Since she hasn't been slushied once at Carmel, Rachel stopped coming to school prepared with a clean change of clothes. She goes to her locker to get her Vocal Adrenaline duffel bag. She has work out clothes in it. Puck is waiting for her by her locker. He takes in her appearance and knows exactly what happened. Scowling, his hands ball into fists at his sides.

"Who did it?" Puck asks.

"Almost everyone from New Directions was here. Finn's the one that slushied me," Rachel replies.

Puck starts walking away.

"Where are you going?" Rachel asks.

"I'm gonna go over to McKinley and kick his ass," Puck replies.

Rachel shakes her head. "Noah, I appreciate your willingness to confront Finn about this, but you can't. You're on probation. I wouldn't be able to stand it if you went back to juvenile hall because of me," Rachel says.

"I'm not going to let him get away with this," Puck mutters.

"He won't. Vocal Adrenaline is formulating a plot for revenge. Of course, the ultimate revenge will be when we beat them at Regionals," Rachel says.

"I want in," Puck says.

Rachel starts for the girls' bathroom, and Puck follows her. As she goes in, he waits just outside the door. The other girls in Vocal Adrenaline are already getting cleaned up. Haylee and Giselle are washing their hair in the sinks. Andrea and Lauren are sitting on the bench waiting for their turn.

"It's so sticky. It's never going to come out," Haylee complains.

"It will come out," Rachel says with certainty.

Rachel steps in to help Haylee.

"How do you know?" Giselle demands.

"I've had a lot of experience getting slushie out of my hair," Rachel replies.

Shocked, Andrea stares at Rachel. "They did this to you when you were on the same team?" Andrea asks.

"Not them. The football players and the hockey players," Rachel explains.

"Your boyfriend is a football player," Andrea points out.

Rachel nods her head. "Yes, and he's slushied me," Rachel says.

"Why would you want to be with someone that did this to you?" Andrea wonders.

Rachel wants to remind them that she's on a team with people that egged her, but she doesn't want to give them ideas for revenge on New Directions. She may be going along with the plan, but she's going to make sure it doesn't involve eggs.

"I'm a forgiving person. He's apologized, and I accepted his apology," Rachel says.

In the boys' bathroom, the boys are already clean. Except Kurt. Michael and the other boys head to class. They have Shelby's class right after lunch, and they're already late. When they walk into the classroom, Shelby looks at the clock and then glares at them.

"Seriously, guys? Class started five minutes ago," Shelby says, angry.

Michael sighs. He looks back at the door, hoping to see the girls coming. Shelby doesn't like him. She seems to like Haylee and Giselle. But, they're not here to save him, so he offers an explanation.

"When we got back from lunch, New Directions threw slushies at us. We were cleaning up and changing," Michael explains.

Shelby doesn't know if she can believe him. She's well aware that Vocal Adrenaline funkifies the competition. She's even encouraged it. She remembers that New Directions retaliated by slashing her performers' tires last year. But, Regionals is still months away. It's still early for funkification. And, she's never heard of anyone throwing slushies.

"Where are the girls?" Shelby asks.

"In the bathroom. They're taking forever to get ready," Michael replies.

Shelby tells the boys to start vocal warm-ups and goes to check on the girls. She stops in Dustin's office to tell him what happened. When she gets to the bathroom, she sees Puck leaning against the wall by the door.

"Why aren't you in class?" Shelby asks.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Puck lies.

Shelby kinks an eyebrow in disbelief. "The boys' bathroom is over there," Shelby says, pointing to the door on the other side of the hallway.

Shelby waits until Puck is in the boys' bathroom and then goes into the girls' bathroom. Rachel is done with Haylee and is now rinsing shampoo out of Andrea's hair. Giselle is still trying to make sure she got all of the slushie out of her thick hair. Shelby silently steps in to help her.

Rachel looks down, focusing on Andrea's hair. She hasn't talked to Shelby since Shelby bailed her out. The only communication they've had is Rachel's letter. The letter was closure. The end of their nonexistent relationship. Taking her cue from Rachel, Shelby doesn't say anything. If Rachel wanted to talk to her, she would have personally delivered the check instead of slipping a letter under her office door when she knew Shelby wasn't there. The tension isn't lost on the other girls.

Rachel is the last to use the sink. Shelby debates whether she should help or leave Rachel alone. She's not going to make Rachel talk. But, it seems silly to leave Rachel alone when she just helped the other girls. Shelby takes a step towards Rachel.

"Do you need help?" Shelby asks.

Rachel stops to think for a moment. A part of her wants to say yes. Moms wash their daughter's hair. Despite her anger and hurt, she wants that. But, this wouldn't be her mom washing her hair. No, it would be a teacher helping her just as she would help any other student. And, her mom didn't even want to be her teacher. It would be an illusion. And, it would hurt when reality set in.

"No thank you. I can do it on my own. I've had lots of practice," Rachel says.

They both know Rachel isn't just talking about washing slushie out of her hair. But, Shelby knows that Rachel was never alone. She always had her dads. Shelby was alone for years. She missed the daughter she didn't even know. Her heart ached for her daughter. She would have done anything to be there when her daughter needed her, but she couldn't. And, Rachel can't see that. Rachel will never know just how much Shelby wanted to be there. Shelby swallows a lump in the back of her throat. That's the only sign of emotion she lets show.

Shelby focuses on the other girls. "Come on. We've already missed most of class. I want to make the most of the time we have left," Shelby says.

When they get to the classroom, Shelby sees Kurt. She recognizes him as a member of New Directions. He performed with them at Regionals last year. She wonders if he is one of the kids that threw a slushie at her students.

"Why are you here?" Shelby demands.

Kurt takes a step back. "I'm in this class," Kurt replies.

A disbelieving Shelby just stares at him. "Where's your schedule?" Shelby asks.

Kurt looks through his bag and pulls his schedule out. Shelby takes it out of his hands and looks at it. She's surprised that he is enrolled in her class. If he's in this class, he's in Vocal Adrenaline. She wonders what Dustin is thinking letting a member of a competing team join this close to Regionals. It's the same mistake that New Directions made last year letting Jesse join. Granted, Jesse wasn't a spy, but he also wasn't a real member of New Directions. When he went back to Vocal Adrenaline, New Directions had to change their set list at the last minute. Vocal Adrenaline doesn't make mistakes.

She tells Kurt to sit down. She starts class, but decides not to do any of the songs Dustin is thinking about for Regionals while Kurt's there. She wants to talk to Dustin first.

Kurt looks around and sees everyone that's in Vocal Adrenaline except Rachel. He sits down in an empty desk next to Andrea.

"Where's Rachel?" Kurt asks. He lowers his voice so no one can hear.

"She's not in this class. She's taking an independent study with Mr. Goolsby instead. I wish I could do that," Andrea says.

Kurt laughs. "Me too. Is Ms. Corcoran always such a bitch?" Kurt says.

"She plays favorites. If you're not one of her favorites, look out," Andrea warns.

Shelby notices the side conversation and looks right at them. "Guys, this is Aural Skills. Not social hour," Shelby snaps.

As the other members of Vocal Adrenaline sit in Shelby's class, Rachel towel dries her hair and changes into a Vocal Adrenaline t-shirt and dark blue tracksuit. When she steps out of the bathroom, Puck is waiting for her. He gently takes her into her arms. He's everything Finn and Jesse aren't. The only time he threw food at her was before they dated, before he knew her. Since then, he's always defended her. Even when they weren't together, he's always been there for her. Knowing he would be waiting for her is enough to make everything bad that happened go away.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. This chapter focuses on Kurt. That's why it doesn't have as many scenes between Puck and Rachel, and Shelby and Rachel. There's a reason why Rachel and Shelby haven't talked about everything yet. Bear with me for a little longer. I promise that they will talk soon. I don't want to give away what's going to happen, but Shelby will play a much bigger role in the story after Regionals. There are probably going to be about 2-4 chapters until Regionals.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It doesn't take long for the animosity between Vocal Adrenaline and New Directions to hit an all-time high. The day of the slushie attack, Vocal Adrenaline threw stink bombs in the choir room at McKinley High. When Will cancelled practice because of the odor, New Directions returned to Carmel High for the second time that day. While Vocal Adrenaline rehearsed, New Directions bumper stickered their cars. When the members of Vocal Adrenaline left at midnight, they saw the McKinley High bumper stickers all over their cars. That night, Vocal Adrenaline TPed the houses of every member of New Directions except Finn, and that's only because Kurt would probably have to help clean it up. The personal attack on their houses is more than enough for New Directions. The next day, they go to Carmel High to settle it once and for all.

Dustin is still in his office, and the members of Vocal Adrenaline are doing vocal warm-ups when New Directions bursts into the auditorium.

"Why are you-"

Rachel doesn't even finish her sentence when Finn approaches Michael and punches him down onto the stage floor.

The other boys in Vocal Adrenaline run forward to help him, but are stopped by the boys in New Directions. New Directions might be outnumbered, but they're not going down without a fight.

When Santana and Quinn approach Rachel, Rachel holds her hands up to shield her face. Squinting as she waits for the blow, she doesn't even notice Haylee join her.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to punch you in the face," Quinn says.

Haylee kinks an eyebrow in silent challenge. "Then do it and stop talking about it," Haylee says.

Quinn glares at Haylee. Instead of responding, Quinn shrugs and punches Rachel.

As Rachel rubs the pain off her chin, Quinn prepares for a second punch. But, Haylee quickly pushes Quinn back a step. Forgetting all about Rachel, Quinn shoves Haylee. Santana steps in to take care of Rachel.

"When I'm done with you, you're going to go running back to Israel," Santana says.

This time it's Andrea and Lauren who try to save Rachel. They jump in between Rachel and Santana.

"Don't touch her," Andrea says.

Ignoring Andrea, Santana takes a step forward.

"Are you deaf?" Lauren asks. She waits until Santana's attention shifts from Andrea to her. "That would explain why you can't sing. Hands off our lead singer!" Lauren yells.

Smirking, Santana pushes past Lauren and Andrea. With them out of the way, she lunges at Rachel. Andrea and Lauren try to pull Santana off of Rachel.

"I'm from Lima Heights. I can take all three of you bitches," Santana says.

"If only you could sing as well as you fight," Rachel mutters.

As the fight escalates, Shelby is passing the auditorium on her way out to the parking lot. She stops when she hears the raised voices coming from the auditorium. When she opens the door, she sees the teenagers struggling with each other. Of course she knows about the slushie attack. She knows her students well enough to know they wouldn't take it lying down. But, she never imagined it would get to this point. She's shell-shocked. She tells herself she has to snap out of the initial shock. She has to do something before they kill each other.

Shelby was angry last year when Puck and Finn slashed her performers' tires. This time, the attack on her students infuriates her. But, worry overrides fury. Shelby's eyes search the stage for Rachel. An anxious Shelby finally spots Rachel lying on the stage floor when Andrea and Lauren yank Santana off of her. When she sees Rachel, she runs forward to check on her. What she sees is a young girl that looks incredibly small. Rachel brings her knees to her chest. She's in the fetal position. Her stance is defensive. Shelby kneels down beside her daughter. Her eyes scan Rachel's body for injuries.

When she sees Shelby, Rachel slowly relaxes. At any other time, it's not how she would react to her mother. In fact, she would probably have the opposite reaction. Conversations with her mother require energy. She cares too much. On some level, she knows Shelby cares. It's just that Shelby doesn't care enough to make it work. So, whenever they have a conversation, Rachel has to be careful. Protect herself from getting hurt. Again. But, Rachel knows that Shelby being here now will save her from her old team. No one would dare touch her when she's with her mother.

"Are you okay?" Shelby asks.

Rachel can hear the worry in Shelby's voice. She can see the others still fighting. But, instead of breaking the fight up, Shelby is checking on her. It's the first time Rachel has felt like her mother put her before Vocal Adrenaline. Smiling slightly, Rachel slowly sits up.

"Yes. Quinn may have broken my jaw, but at least she didn't break my talent," Rachel mutters. She raises her voice, so that Quinn will hear her.

Shelby focuses on Rachel's jaw. There's a red spot where Quinn punched her, but it's not swollen. Shelby breathes a sigh of relief.

"I don't think it's broken, but you're gonna have a bruise. Ice it," Shelby says.

As Shelby and Rachel stand up, Dustin walks into the auditorium. He stops dead when he sees the teenagers fighting.

"What's going on here?" Dustin demands.

Seeing two adults, most of the teenagers slowly back down, but Finn and Michael continue to struggle.

"We were just doing vocal warm-ups when _they_ came in here and attacked us," Rachel replies. Her tone is accusatory.

Dustin gets in between Finn and Michael.

"Break it up!" Dustin barks.

When Finn turns around and walks toward the other members of New Directions, Michael gently puts his hand on his nose and feels blood.

Seeing that Dustin has it under control, Shelby steps out of the auditorium for a moment and calls Will. When she returns, no one is saying anything. She approaches Dustin and raises an eyebrow in question.

"I don't know what to do," Dustin admits. He lowers his voice so only Shelby can hear him.

Shelby takes a step towards New Directions.

"Your coach is coming. Don't even think about going anywhere until he gets here," Shelby warns.

Dustin scans his team, looking for injuries. He notices that his male lead probably has a broken nose and his female lead has a red spot on her chin. He turns back to New Directions and gestures at his own team.

"My students can't perform like this! Have you seen my male lead's nose? Their show faces won't matter when they look like this!" Dustin yells.

"I should have broken your female lead's nose. Then she could get the nose job she so desperately needs," Quinn says.

Rachel looks down. She doesn't see Shelby glaring frosty daggers at Quinn.

Giselle doesn't even like Rachel, but she hates New Directions. She's not going to let them get the last word. She takes a step forward. She surveys the opposing team. Her gaze stops on Santana.

"She could ask you where you got your boob job. It's a shame you didn't get a personality transplant instead," Giselle says.

"Please. Everybody loves me," Santana says.

When Will gets to the auditorium, the teenagers fall silent again. He joins Dustin and Shelby in the middle of the stage.

"Okay. What exactly happened?" Will wonders.

"Your _Glee Club_ attacked my team," Dustin replies in an accusatory tone. His disdain for New Directions is clear.

Will looks around. Sam has a cut just above his lip. Mike already has the start of a bruise around his eye. Quinn's hair is messy from rolling around on the floor as she struggled with Haylee. Santana has some nasty scratches on her arms.

"My kids aren't the only ones to blame here," Will says.

"They're in _our_ auditorium!" Giselle yells.

Shelby nods her head in agreement. "Your team started this when they threw slushies at all of my students," Shelby reminds him.

Will thinks New Directions always comes out worse when they go up against Vocal Adrenaline. Last year, Jesse spied on them. When Jesse went back to Vocal Adrenaline, they funkified New Directions and trashed McKinley High's choir room. Finn and Puck got back at them by slashing their tires. When they agreed to get jobs and pay Shelby back, he thought the feud was over. He couldn't believe Vocal Adrenaline egged Rachel. Vocal Adrenaline never faced any consequences for their actions. This year, the pattern is repeating itself. After the slushie attack, Will paid for everyone in Vocal Adrenaline's clothes to be dry cleaned, and Vocal Adrenaline still retaliated. From the way Dustin and Shelby are defending their students, Vocal Adrenaline is going to get off scot-free again.

"And we're paying for their clothes to be dry cleaned," Will points out. There's a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"Why shouldn't you? We have purple and blue stains in our clothes!" Haylee yells.

Ignoring Haylee, Will continues. "And, let's be honest. That's not when this started. It started when Dustin stole Rachel," Will mutters.

"Why would she want you as a director when she could have me? You can't teach her anything," Dustin scoffs. "You should hear her sing. She's even better now that she has a real coach," Dustin says, smirking.

"Okay. Be in our auditorium at 3:30 on Friday. We'll have a competition and see who is the best," Will says.

"Why should I do that?" Dustin scoffs. "You haven't heard my team perform with Rachel. You don't know what to expect. I'm going to keep it that way until Regionals," Dustin says.

Dustin knows some of the members of New Directions saw their performance at Sectionals, but he didn't see their coach in the audience. From their voices, it doesn't sound like any of Will's students have vocal training. They probably didn't even notice that Rachel missed a note. Will has no idea what to expect. And, not knowing is almost worse than knowing.

"Then I guess we'll see you at Regionals," Will says. He turns to New Directions. "Let's go, guys," Will says.

Dustin's voice stops Will halfway out the door.

"Schuester, you won't have a team to compete if your students mess with my performers again. The only show choir your students will be on is juvie's show choir. The only reason I'm not pressing charges for trespass and assault is that I want to beat you at Regionals," Dustin calls out.

For the next month, Vocal Adrenaline practically lives in the auditorium. Not that anyone complains. It won't be enough to just win Regionals. No, they want to blow New Directions away. And, practice makes perfect.

Michael quickly agreed to do _I Got You Babe_ for the duet. But, no one can agree on the anthem. It's between AC/DC's _T-N-T_ and Jimmy Eats World's _A Praise Chorus_. After weeks of practice, they're performing both songs flawlessly. But, they need to finalize the set list before they bring Dakota Stanley in to choreograph the routine. So, Dustin asks Shelby what she thinks.

Standing a few feet away from the stage, she watches with a critical eye. If anyone makes a mistake, she'll catch it. But, they don't make any mistakes. Shelby thinks it's safe to say they'll win no matter which song they do.

As Dustin waits for an answer, she debates with herself. Classic rock is familiar territory for Vocal Adrenaline. It's their comfort zone. Their strong suit. But, Rachel is clearly the best singer, and _A Praise Chorus_ suits her voice. Shelby figures it was Rachel's idea to do Jimmy Eat World. The veterans of Vocal Adrenaline tend to stick with what they know. Shelby decides to help her daughter get what she wants.

"They're both good, but I'd go with _A Praise Chorus_," Shelby says.

And, that's it. The final word. Shelby can tell Giselle and Michael aren't happy, but she knows they won't say anything about it.

"Thanks. You can go now," Dustin says.

Shelby had been waiting for Michael and Rachel to perform their duet. Michael has practiced it with Haylee in her class, but she has yet to see him sing it with Rachel. She can imagine how her daughter sounds, but she wants to hear it.

"I thought you guys were supposed to do an anthem and a duet," Shelby says.

"We are, but we already know what song we're doing for the duet," Rachel explains.

Shelby feels silly asking them to do it. She reluctantly turns to leave. She'll have to wait until Regionals. But, Dustin's voice stops her.

"Wait. If you have time to watch the duet, I'd like to know what you think," Dustin says.

Shelby pauses with her back to Dustin and the students. She allows herself to smile briefly. When she turns around, her face is a mask of indifference.

"Okay," Shelby agrees.

Rachel's pitch is perfect. She hits all the right notes. But, something is off, and Shelby can't quite put her finger on it. Maybe it lacks emotional depth. No, that's not it. It dawns on Shelby that Rachel and Michael don't have chemistry.

"Stop," Shelby barks.

Rachel frowns. She should have known her performance wouldn't be good enough for her mother. Shelby's the only person that had anything bad to say about her performance of _You Shook Me All Night Long_. And, Shelby didn't even say anything nice to Rachel when Vocal Adrenaline won Sectionals. Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest protectively.

"_I Got You Babe_ is a love song. You guys don't have chemistry," Shelby says.

_You guys don't have chemistry?_ Rachel rolls her eyes. If Rachel had made a mistake, she would get upset that Shelby was pointing it out, but she wouldn't get angry. But, Rachel didn't make any mistakes. It feels like Shelby is just looking for something to be wrong.

"You can't find anything wrong with our performance, and you just don't want to admit it! This lack of chemistry is in your mind," Rachel says.

Staring at Rachel, Shelby narrows her eyes. Her expression quickly hardens. No one's ever spoken to her like that. Her students wouldn't dare. It's even more frustrating because she's just trying to help. She takes a few steps towards the stage, towards Rachel. It takes all of her self-control not to yell. If she yelled at her students, they would just sit there and take it. But, she has a feeling that if she yells at Rachel, Rachel will yell right back. Getting into a screaming match won't help anyone. So, she starts calmly explaining.

"You either have chemistry or you don't. You can't make yourself feel it. It's not about your facial expressions, or emotion. The audience can see chemistry. That's how powerful it is," Shelby explains.

She surveys the students, looking for a boy to replace Michael. Now that Jesse's gone, there isn't a clear male lead. Her gaze stops on Kurt. He and Rachel were on the same team for a year. Shelby doesn't even know who her daughter's friends are, but Kurt and Rachel seem friendly.

"Kurt, take Michael's place," Shelby says.

Kurt takes Michael's spot on stage.

"Take it from the top," Shelby says.

After a glare at Shelby, Rachel begrudgingly sings the opening lines. Kurt's not any better than Michael. He doesn't have the stage presence of a male lead. Instead of looking lovingly at Rachel, he looks constipated. They're not even halfway through the song when Shelby cuts them off.

"Stop! This is all wrong," Shelby says.

Kurt takes a step forward.

"If I may, I think Rachel and Puck should do the duet," Kurt suggests.

"Who is Puck?" A confused Dustin asks.

"Rachel's boyfriend," Andrea replies.

"He can't do my duet! He's not even on Vocal Adrenaline!" Michael protests. He wouldn't dare argue with Shelby, but that doesn't mean he didn't want to. He doesn't appreciate having his duet taken away.

"Can he even sing?" Giselle scoffs.

"Of course. He was in Glee at McKinley," Rachel replies.

"That doesn't mean anything," Giselle says.

"He wasn't even the male lead of New Directions," Haylee points out.

Dustin holds up a hand. The simple motion silences his team. He looks at Rachel. He trusts her opinion.

"Rachel, do you think Puck can do it?" Dustin asks.

"Yes, Mr. Goolsby," Rachel replies.

Dustin nods his head. "Call him. I want to see you sing it with him here, now," Dustin says.

Shelby frowns as she watches Rachel on the phone, heavily engaged in a conversation with Puck. If she'd known what would end up happening, she would have kept her mouth shut. Having Puck as a duet partner will only bring her daughter closer to him.

It takes about ten minutes for Puck to get there. He was on his way home when Rachel called, but he wasn't even halfway there.

He's never been so angry as when he saw Rachel after the fight. He was ready to go over there and kill someone, but Rachel wouldn't let him. Now, he just wants to get back at them. And, if helping Vocal Adrenaline win Regionals is the only way he can do that, that's exactly what he's going to do.

Smiling wide, Rachel hands him a copy of the sheet music. He takes a moment to look at it, and tells her when he's ready.

Rachel sings the opening lines for the third time that day. It frustrates her that she has yet to get through the song without Shelby stopping her.

Puck didn't realize how much he missed Glee until this moment. It reminds him how much he likes singing. Every time he's sung, he's found a song that expresses his emotions. He may not have found this song, but it's perfect nonetheless. He doesn't take his eyes off Rachel as he sings Sonny's lines.

When their voices join together, it's perfect harmony. They lock eyes for a few seconds. The long stare would be uncomfortable if they weren't completely at ease with each other. Both smile wide.

Shelby is silently cursing herself for opening her big mouth. What she said was true. Rachel and Michael didn't have chemistry. The same thing can't be said for Rachel and Puck. Everyone can see the chemistry, can feel it. It's volatile. Dustin smiles in approval. Michael's shoulders slump in defeat. Shelby feels like joining him.

When the song ends, Dustin stands up.

"That was good, guys," Dustin says.

Rachel's smile widens.

Dustin turns to Shelby. "Thanks. I can see why you won all those National titles," Dustin says.

With the set list finalized, Dustin brings Dakota in to do the choreography. The man is just as terrible as they remembered. He's over-critical. Verbally abusive. Impossible to please. But, even the members of Vocal Adrenaline that have worked with him for the past three years are startled by how severe he is to Rachel. The day after Rachel runs out of rehearsal crying, they're talking about it as they walk into Shelby's class. Shelby always tunes out her students' conversations. But, the mention of her daughter gets her attention.

"I don't get it. Why is he so awful to Rachel? She's a good dancer," Haylee says.

"Not as good as she thinks she is," Giselle mutters.

"And I thought he didn't like me. He's actually nice to me compared to how he is with Rachel," Andrea says.

Kurt and Puck walk into the classroom just in time to hear what Andrea's saying.

"Are you talking about Dakota?" Kurt asks.

"Asshole," Puck mutters.

Shelby wants to tell him to watch his language, but then she realizes that if she does, the conversation will be over. And, she wants to hear the rest of the conversation.

"Yeah. We were trying to figure out why he's got a serious hate-on for Rachel," Andrea replies.

"It's because she fired him," Kurt says.

"She fired him? And she's still alive?" Andrea gasps.

Even Giselle looks impressed.

"Yes. We hired him to choreograph a routine for New Directions. He's insane. He attempted to kick all of us off the team, and Rachel fired him," Kurt explains.

"Why didn't your coach fire him?" Haylee asks.

"Mr. Schue was busy with The Acafellas, his acapella group," Kurt replies.

When she hears that, Shelby blames Will. A fifteen year old student should never have had to fire Dakota on her own. Still, Shelby can't help but feel a little proud that her daughter stood up to Dakota. Maybe Rachel is even more like her than she thought. She knows none of her students would have been able to do that, and she can't say she blames them.

Dakota Stanley knows exactly how to tear others down. He doesn't just critique them. He throws vicious insults at them. He's even too much for Shelby. No, she doesn't like the man. The only reason she hired him is because he's the best choreographer in the Midwest, and she wanted her team to be the best. There were a few times she almost fired him. Now, she wishes she had. If she had, Rachel wouldn't have to deal with him. Rachel shouldn't have to deal with him, and Shelby wants to help her. So, she sneaks into Vocal Adrenaline's rehearsal that afternoon and watches in the wings. She doesn't want anyone to know she's there. Dakota would be on his best behavior if he saw her. She wants to see him at his worst.

As the members of Vocal Adrenaline stretch out, Dakota walks across the stage, stopping to taunt each of them. When he stops in front of Rachel, she meets his gaze.

"As far as I can see, you're not eating what I told you to. I didn't spend an hour making your personalized menu for fun. I thought you actually wanted to have a dancer's body. Guess what? Dancers are skinny! What size are you?" Dakota yells.

"I'm only a size two," Rachel replies incredulously.

"A size two? More like two sizes too big! You know what? Your personalized menu is out. You want to know why? The only thing I want to see you stuffing into your big mouth is coffee!" Dakota yells.

"Fine," Rachel mutters.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt your feelings? You're not going to cry again, are you?" Dakota asks. His tone is mocking. "Don't be a baby!" Dakota screams. His face is right next to Rachel's.

"No. I'm not going to cry. I was just going to point out that I'm skinnier than you," Rachel says.

"When you make it as the best choreographer in the Midwest, you can eat what you want. But, you're never going to make it! You and the other freaks of nature at McKinley didn't even place at Regionals last year. I don't know why I'm even trying to help you. Once a loser, always a loser," Dakota snaps.

Trying to hold back tears, Rachel looks down.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Dustin asks. He looks around. "Your teammates can thank me for shutting you up," Dakota says.

After an hour, Dakota tells them to take a five minute break. When the teenagers hurry off, Shelby steps onto the stage.

"Dakota," Shelby says. Her voice is cold.

"Shelby. I thought you quit," Dakota says.

"I did. I'm not coaching Glee anymore," Shelby says.

"Why are you here?" Dakota asks.

"You know the female lead? The girl you just called Yentil? She's my daughter," Shelby says. Her tone is deadly.

Dakota stares at her wide-eyed. "I'm sorry. I think I heard wrong," Dakota mumbles.

Shelby smirks. "Oh, you heard right. And, you haven't even begun to be sorry yet. I don't want to hear about you saying one more word to her. Teach them the choreography and get out, or I promise you that you will _really_ be sorry," Shelby says.

"You're not the coach anymore. What are you going to do? Fire me?" Dakota asks. His tone is mocking.

Shelby tilts her head slightly and looks straight at him. Her stare is brutal. "I coached Glee for years. I took my team to Nationals every year. I know a few coaches," Shelby says. There's a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Enough to get the word out not to hire you," Shelby continues.

Shelby turns on her heel and leaves.

And, for the next week, Dakota doesn't say one word directly to Rachel. She's unaware that Shelby is the reason for the change. She has a sneaking suspicion that Puck threatened the choreographer, but Puck isn't admitting to anything. Whatever the reason, she's grateful for the change.

Between Dustin and Dakota, Vocal Adrenaline is ready for Regionals. New Directions has no chance of winning. This isn't the Vocal Adrenaline they competed against last year. Maybe Rachel isn't as experienced as Jesse. But, that won't stop Vocal Adrenaline. Practice makes perfect. And, Vocal Adrenaline practiced their routine for Regionals until midnight every day for months.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I originally planned to cover everything that happened in this chapter in two chapters, but I'm trying to get to Regionals in the next chapter. After Regionals, Shelby will play a bigger role. She might become co-director of Vocal Adrenaline…


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Today is the day Vocal Adrenaline, New Directions and Aural Intensity compete for the Regional title. The auditorium at Ohio State University is abuzz with high school show choir students. All of their parents are already in their seats.

Beth delays Shelby's arrival. Shelby is slowly realizing that getting anywhere takes twice as long with a baby. She got dressed, but Beth spit up on her, so she had to change. Then, she had to drop Beth off at her brother's house. When she finally gets to the auditorium and finds her seat, she sees the last people she wanted to see sitting in her row. Hiram and Leroy Berry.

The moment she sees them, she's transported back in time. They haven't changed much. Leroy's hair is starting to turn grey, but otherwise they look just how she remembers them. All of a sudden, she feels like the young girl that agreed to be their surrogate. For a second, she's tempted to turn around and run to the closest exit. But, she's not that girl anymore. The moment her daughter was born, she stopped being that girl. She became cold, distant, indifferent. She locked her emotions away and threw away the key. A part of her blames them for leaving her in shambles, but another part of her knows she only has herself to blame. After all, she signed that contract. And, since then, she broke the contract. Now, she has to face them.

"Shelby," Leroy says. His voice is cold.

Hiram narrows his eyes. "Why are you here? Are you here to see Rachel?" Hiram demands.

Shelby looks straight into his eyes. "You know I used to coach Vocal Adrenaline and I'm still a teacher at Carmel. My students asked me to come," Shelby replies.

"If you're really here to see your students, I trust that you won't be talking to Rachel," Hiram says.

"Hiram," Leroy says. His tone is disapproving.

Shelby wonders briefly if Rachel's dads want her to leave Rachel alone, or if Rachel wants her to leave her alone. She'll never know what Rachel wants. When they met, she had to ask how Rachel felt. She couldn't tell. When Rachel told her she was sad, Shelby knew it was a mistake. A big mistake. Shelby genuinely believed Rachel was better off without her. But, then, Rachel pleaded with her to go teach at McKinley. And, somehow, she could tell how much it meant to Rachel. She would have given her daughter anything she asked for. Except that. She didn't want to coach Glee anymore. When she coached Glee, she was all business. No time for dating. No time for the family she so desperately wanted. Even if she'd wanted to, she couldn't have given Rachel that. If there wasn't even enough money in McKinley's Glee Club budget to pay for the tires Puck and Finn slashed, there was no way McKinley could afford to hire her as co-director. Saying no pushed Rachel away. Shelby knows she messed up. Now, Rachel doesn't want anything from her.

"I won't," Shelby says.

"You signed a contract. You said you wouldn't contact her until she was eighteen," Hiram reminds her.

"She came to me," Shelby says.

Even as the words leave her mouth, she knows it's a lie. She planned it out. She asked Jesse to befriend Rachel. She told Jesse to get Rachel to listen to the tape. She knew that if Rachel were anything like her mother, she would find Shelby after she listened to the tape. That's how Shelby met her daughter for the first time.

"Only after she listened to a tape of you singing. You didn't give her that tape sixteen years ago. You gave it to her sometime in the last year," Leroy points out.

Shelby sighs. "I'm sorry," Shelby says.

It's a genuine apology. Not for breaking the contract. But, for how everything turned out.

"You know, she never asked us about you. She wouldn't have found you on her own," Hiram says.

Crushed under the weight of his words, Shelby can only stare at him. Her daughter didn't want to know her. Rachel never asked one question about her mother. After a few seconds of silence, Hiram takes it upon himself to continue.

"You know what I've never been able to figure out? Why did you break the contract? Why did you go to all that trouble if you didn't even want to be her mom?" Hiram wonders.

Shelby swallows a lump in the back of her throat. She wanted to be Rachel's mom more than anything. She just realized too late that she couldn't be Rachel's mom. Rachel had two parents. Rachel was happy. And, when Shelby met Rachel, Shelby knew she'd made the wrong decision in finding her.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Shelby says.

"I don't? Really?" Hiram asks. His tone is mocking. "Well, I know how much we spent on therapy after she met you," Hiram says.

Shelby knows she turned Rachel's life upside down. But, realizing how much she hurt her daughter, she's disgusted with herself. She bows her head in shame.

"Look, I truly am sorry. If it helps, I regret what I did," Shelby says.

Hiram nods his head. Knowing that's as close as she'll get to acceptance of her apology, Shelby takes her seat.

Sitting in Vocal Adrenaline's dressing room, Rachel is just waiting for something to go wrong. In her experience, something always does. In her first Sectionals competition with New Directions, their set list was stolen. Then, at Regionals, Sue was one of the judges. This year, at McKinley High's Sectionals, she couldn't bring herself to compete with New Directions, with Finn, after everything that happened in the green room. Then, at Carmel High's Sectionals, she had to compete with a hangover. To make things worse, her old team and her ex-boyfriend were in the audience. So far, today, nothing has gone wrong. Rachel can't help but feel like it's too good to be true. She's visibly nervous, and she's getting a knot in her stomach. With a shaky hand, she puts make-up on. She pauses and looks up when the door opens. Giselle steps in.

"New Directions is first. I was scoping out their costumes. They're _cute_. There's an old lady in costume," Giselle says. Her disdain for their costumes is clear. Curious, she looks at Rachel to see if Rachel has any idea who the old lady is.

Frowning, Rachel bites her bottom lip as she tries to figure out who Giselle could be talking about. Emma Pillsbury? No, she's the guidance counselor. It wouldn't surprise Rachel if Emma was there with Will, but she wouldn't be in costume. Rachel draws a blank as to who it could be.

"I don't know who it is, but they would have needed a new member to be eligible to compete," Rachel says.

Just then, Kurt bursts into the room.

"You'll never believe who the female lead of New Directions is. April Rhodes," Kurt says, breathless.

Rachel's eyes widen and she gasps in horror. As much as she hates to admit it, April Rhodes is good.

"Who is April Rhodes?" Haylee asks.

"She was in Glee with Mr. Schuester, but she never graduated from McKinley. He asked her to come back last year, and she joined Glee. She's good. She left, though. She must have re-enrolled," Rachel explains.

"How good is she?" Haylee asks.

Rachel looks at Kurt. Her stare tells him that she's worried. She sees the same worry in his eyes.

"If she and Rachel had a Diva Off, I don't know who would win," Kurt says.

Rachel looks insulted, even if she knows it's true. Everyone else looks worried and anxious. Through the speaker in their dressing room, they can hear the announcer introduce New Directions. Then, Finn and April start singing _The Show Must Go On_ by Queen.

"Seriously? They're doing Queen?" Haylee asks incredulously.

Giselle shrugs it off. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," Giselle says.

"Jesse's rendition of _Bohemian Rhapsody_ was flawless. Their male lead can't do Queen justice. He just missed a note," Haylee says.

"Finn has a hard time hitting high notes," Rachel explains.

They can't find anything wrong with April's singing. Even Giselle looks impressed when the song is over.

"She's amazing," Kurt says.

Rachel frowns. "No more amazing than me. Noah has our duet down. He won't miss any notes. We're going to win this thing," Rachel says.

As they debate their chances, New Directions starts their anthem, Miko's _We Are Golden_. The choreography is simple, but they're pouring their hearts into the song. No one can say that they're soulless automatons. Even after they turn the speaker off, Vocal Adrenaline can hear the applause.

Aural Intensity goes on next. Vocal Adrenaline doesn't see them as real competition. They don't even bother to listen to the performance. As Aural Intensity performs, the members of Vocal Adrenaline do vocal warm-ups and put the finishing touches on their make-up. Dustin tells Puck and Rachel to get ready.

Waiting backstage, Puck takes Rachel into his arms. She's trembling slightly.

"Hey. You nervous?" Puck asks.

"Yes. I didn't think New Directions could win without me. I was so sure we would beat them. But, April Rhodes is really good. I'm the star of Vocal Adrenaline. Both of the songs were my idea. If we lose, it will be my fault," Rachel says.

"April's not as good as you," Puck says with certainty.

Rachel locks eyes with Puck and smiles slowly.

"Now let's kick New Directions' ass!" Puck says.

When Vocal Adrenaline is announced, they part. Taking a deep breath, Rachel enters stage right as she sings Cher's lines. Puck enters stage left as he sings Sonny's lines. They meet center stage just in time for their voices to join together. It's perfect harmony. They lock eyes. Puck's smile is wide. It's not a show face. It's not a cocky smirk. He's genuinely happy. He's singing again. Even better, he's singing with Rachel. Rachel's smile widens. The fear that she'll spot Jesse St. James in the audience or Finn watching from the back fades. She's over them. She's with Puck. And, they are really, really good together.

As they sing, Rachel shifts her gaze to the audience. Scanning the audience members, she searches for her dads. Her eyes stop on Shelby. Shelby isn't smiling. Knowing her, she probably doesn't think Vocal Adrenaline can win with Rachel as lead singer. She's always quick to tell Rachel what she's doing wrong. Rachel draws in a breath. She can't afford to focus on her mother's disapproval. She needs to win, which means she needs to be confident. Shelby doesn't inspire confidence. So, Rachel finds her dads. They're beaming with pride. Focusing on them, Rachel sings the rest of the song. And, it's perfect. Pitch perfect. Emotional depth. Chemistry. Rachel and Puck have the heart that Vocal Adrenaline lacked last year.

When the song ends, the rest of Vocal Adrenaline joins them on stage and they start _A Praise Chorus_ with perfect show faces. The choreography is hard. There's gymnastics and acrobatics.

The song hasn't even ended yet, and Shelby knows they won. Sitting in the audience, she stares at her daughter. What Dustin said to Will was true. Rachel has gotten better since she transferred to Carmel. Rachel knows that good isn't good enough for Dustin. It pushes her to be even better. And, she is. Of all the times Shelby's seen Rachel sing, this is the best by far. Rachel might even be better than Shelby. Shelby can't help but feel proud.

It doesn't take long for the judges to confirm what Shelby already knows. When they announce Vocal Adrenaline as the winner, Dustin's arms envelop Rachel. Rachel remembers last year's Regionals all too well. Her mother hugging her ex-boyfriend after Vocal Adrenaline beat New Directions. Shelby didn't give her daughter a second thought. It was the worst day of Rachel's life. It's a peculiar feeling to be standing exactly where Jesse St. James stood almost a year ago today. She's the star of Vocal Adrenaline. She just won Regionals. Now, her coach is hugging her. It would mean more to her if it were her mother up there with her, but she quickly pushes that thought aside. Shelby didn't want to be up there with her. And, Rachel isn't going to let Shelby ruin this moment. This is a happy moment. She got what she came here for. Dustin parts from Rachel and allows her to accept the trophy. Smiling wide, she raises the trophy above her head.

In her seat, Shelby's smile is identical to her daughter's. Pulling her cell phone out of her purse, she sends a text message to Jesse to tell him Vocal Adrenaline won. He wanted to come, but he only has a week until finals and he needed to study. He responds immediately. _Rachel winning this year was an inevitability_. When Shelby looks up, she sees her daughter walking toward her. But, it's not really her Rachel is walking to. No, Rachel goes straight to her dads. Rachel is pulled into a bone-crushing hug and given a bouquet of roses. They look so happy. Shelby's never felt more like an outsider than she does watching her daughter with Hiram and Leroy. She wonders how many moments like this she's missed, how many she will miss in the future. It feels like her heart is breaking into a million pieces. When the pain is too great to bear, she looks away. And, she sees other teenagers with their families.

When Rachel's dads offer to take her out to dinner wherever she wants to celebrate, she wants Puck to come. So, the three of them make their way over to where Deb Puckerman is telling her son how proud she is of him. When she sees Rachel, she envelops the teenager in her arms. Rachel quickly returns the hug.

Standing a few feet away, Shelby watches as another woman hugs her daughter. Shelby has only hugged her daughter once. She felt like she had to ask permission. Rachel granted her permission, but it took Rachel a moment to relax and return the hug. Shelby sees how comfortable and at ease Rachel is in Deb Puckerman's arms. Rachel doesn't hesitate to return the hug. It's like the hug is a knife straight through Shelby's heart. The longer Deb holds Rachel, the deeper the knife twists. After what seems like forever to Shelby, Deb steps back from Rachel. There is a short conversation and then Deb, Puck, Hiram, Leroy and Rachel walk away together.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. The songs are Queen's _The Show Must Go On_, Miko's _We Are Golden_, Sonny and Cher's _I Got You Babe_ and Jimmy Eat World's _A Praise Chorus._ I need help picking a group number for Vocal Adrenaline to perform at Nationals. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Rachel has been excited about prom since Puck asked her a few weeks ago. He skipped class, broke into her house and left a trail of rose petals from her bedroom door to her stereo. A CD waited on top of the stereo. It was Puck singing _Sweet Caroline_. At the end, he asked her if she would go to prom with him. Somehow, it was romantic, yet badass. Of course, she said yes. She found the perfect dress. She debated between a hot pink taffeta dress and a bright yellow strapless gown. She figured there would be a lot of girls wearing pink and she didn't want to look like everyone else, so she went with the yellow gown. Now, she's standing in front of the full length mirror in her bedroom wearing the dress. She puts a bobby pin in her mouth until she's ready for it, freeing her hands to put her hair up. She allows a few tendrils to remain loose. As she's spraying hairspray, the doorbell rings.

"Sweetie, Noah's here!" Leroy calls.

Rachel grabs her clutch and hurries downstairs. Puck rented a black tux. She can't remember the last time she saw him dressed up. He looks better than she imagined. When he sees her, his mouth opens in awe and a grin comes across his face.

"Babe, you look hot," Puck says. He sees the disapproving look on both of Rachel's dads faces. "You look beautiful," Puck amends.

"Thank you, Noah. You look handsome," Rachel says.

"I have to get pictures," Leroy says, holding his digital camera up.

Puck puts his arm around Rachel and pulls her closer. They both smile wide as Leroy takes pictures.

"Okay. I think I got some good ones. Have fun!" Leroy says.

"Be home by midnight," Hiram adds.

As they drive to the dance, Rachel gets even more excited. It's her first high school dance. Last year, she wanted to go to homecoming, but no one asked her. Puck went with Santana. Finn went with Quinn. Rachel knows she's not as pretty as any of the Cheerios. She's not classically beautiful. But, tonight, she feels beautiful. She feels a little like Cinderella going to the ball. Tonight is going to be a fairy tale.

"What's it like?" Rachel asks.

"What's _what_ like?" Puck asks, confused.

"A high school dance," Rachel explains.

"Santana and I didn't make it to homecoming. We didn't get past the parking lot," Puck admits.

"So this is your first high school dance?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah," Puck replies.

Rachel feels a hint of jealousy at the mention of Santana. She knows he went with her, but she doesn't want to think about them having sex. She quickly changes the subject back to Puck and her.

"That's even better then. This way we'll be together at our first high school dance," Rachel says.

"Totally," Puck agrees.

"I hope Carmel hired a halfway decent DJ. I don't want to listen to top forty hits made popular by people that know absolutely nothing about music," Rachel says.

"He's not going to be playing show tunes," Puck says. His tone is light and teasing. There's a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Maybe I should come up with a list of songs that I approve of," Rachel says.

"I don't want to get thrown out of the dance because you talked the DJ into playing all Barbra," Puck teases.

"Barbra is my idol, but I have an eclectic taste in music," Rachel says.

"Do you want to see a show? You know, when we're in New York for Nationals? I've never been out of Lima," Puck says.

"Of course. My dads always take me to New York for my birthday. Instead of giving me presents, we go on a trip. Last year we saw the revival of _Wicked_. The actors weren't as good as the original cast. I could have done a better job than the actress playing Elphaba," Rachel says.

Rachel doesn't stop talking about the musicals she's seen until Puck pulls into the hotel parking lot. McKinley High's prom is always in the school gym. They don't have enough money in the budget to rent a different location for prom. Money doesn't seem to be a problem for Carmel High. They rented out the ballroom at a hotel downtown.

There are teachers sitting at a folding table just outside the ballroom taking tickets. Puck hands them two tickets as he and Rachel walk by. Everything in the ballroom is Carmel blue. There's a long table with a punch bowl, glasses and a platter of cookies. The plates and napkins are blue. There are tables with blue linen tablecloths. There are already a lot of students on the dance floor. Puck and Rachel find a group of Vocal Adrenaline members sitting at a table mocking their classmates' dance moves.

"I know not everyone has been in ballet since they were two, but some of these idiots can't even count music," Haylee points out.

"Hey! I came with one of those idiots," Lauren says. She glances at her boyfriend, a baseball player. He smiles good-naturedly.

"I'm not drunk enough for this. No one's even spiked the punch. What kind of prom is this?" Andrea complains.

"I can help you out," Puck says.

As Puck approaches the table, he takes a flask out of his pocket and quickly pours vodka into the punch bowl. He returns to the table with two glasses, one for him and one for Rachel. Rachel frowns as she looks at the glass.

"I don't know," Rachel says.

Puck takes a sip. "You can't even taste the alcohol," Puck says.

"It's not that. It's just…the last time I drank I got arrested," Rachel reminds him.

"Yeah, but not for drinking. For having a party," Puck says. His tone is light and playful. A faint smirk comes across his face.

"Maybe I'll just have one drink," Rachel says.

After they finish their drinks, Rachel practically drags Puck out on the dance floor. When a slow song comes on, Puck's hands drop to Rachel's waist and her hands find his neck. As they dance, she rests her head on his shoulder.

"You're good at this, Noah," Rachel murmurs.

"Don't tell anyone. If they find out the Puckzilla can dance, they'll question my badassness," Puck says.

Rachel laughs as Puck spins her. "If they didn't know before, they know now," Rachel points out.

When the song ends, the DJ takes a break so Principal Nielson can announce the prom king and prom queen. Standing behind Rachel, Puck wraps his arms around her waist. Kurt and Blaine make their way over to Rachel and Puck.

"You guys are adorable," Blaine says.

Puck scowls. "What did you say?" Puck demands.

"Not adorable. Terrifying," Kurt amends. "That's what you meant, right, Blaine?" Kurt asks, elbowing Blaine.

Blaine chuckles. "Sure," Blaine says.

"McKinley's prom is still two weeks away and Finn and Quinn are already campaigning for king and queen," Kurt says, rolling his eyes.

Rachel's smile fades at the mere mention of Finn and Quinn. Puck frowns at the sudden change in her mood.

"He's with Quinn?" Rachel asks, surprised. "I thought he was with Santana," Rachel says. Her tone is almost accusatory.

"They broke up almost as soon as they got together," Kurt explains.

Rachel puts on a show face. Her smile is wide and obviously fake. "I'm sure they'll win," Rachel says.

It's been a few months since Rachel and Finn broke up. When things ended, she was hurt and angry. She would have understood if he had sex with Quinn. It still would have hurt, but she knows he loved Quinn once. There's nothing between Finn and Santana. It was just sex. Of all the people he could have had meaningless sex with, he picked the person that treated Rachel the worst. Rachel doesn't understand how Finn could do that if he cared about her at all. Her feelings have faded, but they haven't disappeared completely. Knowing he's back together with Quinn, Rachel feels a different kind of pain. Finn and Santana could never last. They're too different. Finn and Quinn are a completely different story. Their love could last. It's not that Rachel wants to be with Finn. She's happy with Puck. Still, she can't help but feel a hint of jealousy.

Rachel is so lost in her thoughts that she doesn't even hear Principal Nielson announce Lauren and her boyfriend as queen and king. Between the two of them, they got the Vocal Adrenaline vote and the jock vote. Rachel joins in clapping a little too late.

When the dance ends, Puck tells Rachel he got a room at the hotel. Rachel swallows hard as Puck grabs her hand and pulls her in the direction of the elevator. She thinks of those cheesy teen movies where all of the teenagers have sex on prom night. She asks herself if she's ready to have sex. She doesn't know. All she knows is that she loves Puck. She doesn't want him to get angry. So far, he hasn't pressured her to do more than she's ready to do. But, she remembers who she's dealing with. The boy that did a lot more than just clean pools for desperate housewives. The boy that impregnated the president of the Celibacy Club. The boy that didn't even make it past the parking lot at homecoming. Boys like Puck have expectations.

As soon as they get to the room, Puck takes his jacket off. With every item of clothing that comes off, Rachel gets more nervous. She takes a step back. She just needs to sit down and think for a minute. But, when she sits down on the bed, Puck joins her. He leans in and finds her lips. The kiss is slow and sensual. Falling back on the bed, they deepen the kiss. His hand travels to her breast. And, that's when she listens to the warning bells going off inside her head. She doesn't want Puck to get angry. But, this doesn't feel right. Putting her hand against his naked chest, she can feel his heart beat beneath her palm. When she pushes him away, he opens his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Puck asks.

"I'm not ready, Noah," Rachel replies.

Rachel stands up. Before he can even respond, she's running to the bathroom. She leans her back against the bathroom door and closes her eyes. She remembers the last time she hid in a bathroom. It was when she thought she was ready to have sex with Jesse St. James. She loved him. She didn't realize until the last minute that she wasn't ready. She's glad she realized before it was too late. She wouldn't want her first time to be with a boy that was playing her. A boy that didn't love her. A spy. She wants her first time to be with Puck. Just not now. Not when she's confused. Not when she's been drinking. Not in a cheap hotel room.

Puck stares at the closed bathroom door and groans. He knows Rachel isn't like the other girls he's been with. She's sweet and innocent. It's what brings out his protective instinct. For someone with a short temper, he thinks he's been patient. They've been together for over a month and all they've done is make out. He wants her. It's like a constant thirst that he can't quench. A need he can't satisfy. He doesn't know how much more he can take.

"Come on. Are you gonna stay in there all night?" Puck asks, frustrated.

His frustration rises when she doesn't even answer. He's having a one-sided conversation with a door. His cell phone beeps. At least someone wants to talk to him. He gets his phone out of his pants pocket.

It's a text from Santana. She's the only member of New Directions that he still talks to. There's too much history between them. Too many good moments. He never loved her, but he cares about her. Sitting down on the bed, he responds. And, slowly their conversation goes from innocent to not-so-innocent. The needs Rachel stirred in him are still at the surface.

After she's had time to think, Rachel steps out of the bathroom. Calmer now, she approaches Puck. He quickly closes his cell phone and puts it on the nightstand.

"I'm sorry," Rachel says.

"We've been together for a month and you won't even let me touch your boobs," Puck mutters.

"It's a big deal for me," Rachel explains.

"I know. But, I kind of love you and I thought you loved me, too. I thought you would want to," Puck mumbles.

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. She knows Puck loves her. He's proven that more than once. He's practically ready to kill anyone that hurts her. Still, it's the first time he's told her that he loves her. It's probably the first time he's said those words out loud to anyone except his mom and sister. She smiles wide.

"I love you," Rachel says.

"Then why don't you want to do it?" Puck asks.

"It's not that I don't want to. I want sex just as much as you do. But, I'm not ready. If I have sex with you now, I would be betraying myself," Rachel replies.

In the short time they've been talking, his cell phone has been going crazy. Annoyed at the interruption, Rachel frowns at the offending object.

"Who is that?" Rachel demands.

Puck may be a singer, but he's not an actor. He's not a good liar. His mom can always tell when he's lying. It's written all over his face. He looks away as he lies to Rachel. He knows full well that it's Santana, but he can't tell Rachel that. He's not dumb enough to say it's one of the members of Vocal Adrenaline. That's a lie he could easily get caught in. She'll never believe he's talking to anyone from McKinley.

"It's my mom," Puck lies.

Rachel frowns. It's obvious that he's lying. But, why would he lie?

"Oh. What did she want?" Rachel asks.

"Just to know what time I'll be home," Puck replies.

"We should go. My dads wanted me to be home by midnight," Rachel says.

"I'm just going to go to the bathroom and then we can go," Puck says.

When he leaves, his phone beeps again. Rachel stares at it. It's calling to her. She can't resist the temptation. When she sneaks a peek at his text messages, her suspicions are confirmed. There isn't one text message from Puck's mom. No, they're all from Santana. Rachel doesn't know what she was expecting, but she never imagined her boyfriend would be sexting Santana. How could he do this to her? He knows about Finn and Santana. He knows how much that hurt her.

When Puck steps out of the bathroom, he notices Rachel's pained expression. His eyes drop to the phone in her hands…his cell phone. She found the ugly truth. He silently curses himself for leaving the phone out.

"What are you doing?" Puck asks.

"I should be asking you that. You know about Finn and Santana. You know how much it hurt me. I never thought you would do the same thing," Rachel hisses.

"I didn't have sex with her," Puck protests.

"Why do you have scandalous texts from her on your phone?" Rachel demands.

"Okay, look, I was sexting her, but I haven't had sex with her since we got together," Puck says.

"You said you loved me!" Rachel cries out. Her tone is accusatory.

"I do…a lot," Puck insists.

"Obviously not enough if you're sexting Santana!" Rachel points out.

"I'm sorry. I really am. But, I'm young and I'm a dude. I have needs," Puck says.

Rachel doesn't even want to look at him. She's disgusted with him. She takes a deep breath and looks straight into his eyes.

"I'm glad I didn't do it with you! You're not worthy of me!" Rachel yells.

She storms out of the hotel room. Puck just stands there staring at the space she used to occupy. This is not how he imagined tonight at all. Instead of pleasure, it's pain. He quickly puts his tux back on and goes after her. He catches up with her at the elevator.

"Don't talk to me," Rachel barks.

Not wanting to make her even angrier, Puck remains silent. He doesn't say anything until they get outside and Rachel starts walking in the opposite direction of the car.

"Where are you going?" Puck asks.

Rachel spins around to face him. He sees frigid fury in her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Rachel snaps.

"You came with me," Puck reminds her.

"I'm not leaving with you," Rachel says.

She starts walking away again. A few swift steps bring him close enough to grab her arm. He holds on despite her best efforts to free herself.

"Come on. I know you're pissed. I won't talk to you. But, you can't walk home. We're freaking downtown," Puck says.

Rachel yanks her arm out of his grip and folds her arms in front of her chest.

"Fine," Rachel mutters.

The drive home is silent. Rachel doesn't even look at him. Not once. She stares out the window. To break the awkward silence, Puck turns the volume on the radio up. When he stops in front of Rachel's house, she gets out without saying one word. She slams the car door and walks away without looking back. Sitting in the car, Puck watches until she gets inside.

"Rach? Is that you? Did you have fun?" Leroy calls.

The whole drive home, Rachel debated with herself whether she should talk to her dads or just pretend that everything is okay. She wants to talk to someone. She needs to vent. She needs someone to side with her and tell her that Puck is a jerk. But, she knows exactly how her dads will react if she tells them what happened. Even a condensed version. They'll be furious. They'll probably never let her anywhere near Puck again. And, she doesn't know if she wants that. She doesn't want to talk to him, or even look at him, right now. Her anger is boiling. But, she still loves him. This is one of the times she wishes she had a mom. In an ordinary family, the dad threatens to kill the boyfriend if he hurts his daughter, the mom calms the dad down. But, she has two angry dads and no one to calm them down. She knows what she has to do. Taking a deep breath, she puts a show face on. By the time she gets upstairs, she looks like she just had the time of her life.

"Yes, Daddy," Rachel says.

"How was the dance?" Leroy asks.

"It was good," Rachel replies.

A glance at the alarm clock on their bedside table tells Hiram the dance ended over an hour ago. "It's late. Where have you been?" Hiram asks.

"I was just hanging out with Noah at the hotel," Rachel replies.

Hiram frowns. "I hope you didn't do anything stupid with him tonight," Hiram says.

Rachel swallows hard. "We were just hanging out," Rachel says.

She breathes a sigh of relief when they finally say goodnight. In her room, she lets the tears she's been holding back escape. She thought tonight would be a fairy tale. Epic romance. But, she didn't get a happy ending. All she got is a broken heart. Unbearable pain.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed! I know some of you wanted me to write New Directions' reaction to losing. Based on feedback, I was trying to focus more on Shelby and Rachel, especially since I knew Shelby wouldn't be in this chapter. I've had a few ideas that I haven't written, either because the chapters were getting too long or it would drag out the plot when I was trying to move forward. I might write all of these scenes, including New Directions' reaction, and include it as a "deleted scenes" after the story comes to an end. This is probably the last chapter that won't have Shelby in it. I always planned on writing a prom chapter. I feel like it's dangerous to write it right before the prom episode. I'm trying my best to keep this as realistic as possible, but the prom episode may be completely different. I thought about waiting until after the episode and incorporating a few of the lines, but considering it's a few weeks away, I didn't want to keep you waiting that long. Some of you probably hate me for the ending. Rest assured it is not the end of Puck and Rachel. Let me also say that I was trying to keep this realistic without bashing Puck. I like Puck. In fact, I think that out of all the boys on the show, he's treated Rachel the best. However, from how he's acted in the show, I don't see him being celibate for months on end.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Rachel Berry is over-emotional. She has a big heart. When she falls in love, she falls hard. It's like she's jumping from several feet above the ground. Taking a leap of faith and hoping someone will catch her. And, someone always does, but then they stumble and drop her. They leave her lying broken on the floor. And, when she's broken she looks for someone to help her pick up the pieces.

Rachel spent all of Sunday avoiding Puck's calls, but she can't avoid him forever. Now, Rachel is at school trying to avoid him. She delays reality until lunch. When she goes to her locker to put her books away and grab her purse, he's waiting for her. She sighs, exasperated.

"What are you doing here, Puckerman?" Rachel asks.

"Just give me five minutes. I just want to talk to you. If after that, you're still pissed, I'll leave you alone," Puck pleads.

"There's nothing you can say to make this better," Rachel says.

Puck looks straight into her eyes. She can see the regret in them. But, no amount of remorse will change what he did.

"I'm sorry," Puck says.

An apology doesn't heal the wounds he inflicted on her, the scars he left on her heart. With every text message he exchanged with Santana, she could feel her heart breaking a little more.

"Sorry doesn't make me feel any better!" Rachel yells. "You broke my heart. I truly love you. You said you love me. I don't understand how you could do that with her if you love me. I can't trust you. I don't know if we can move on from this," Rachel says.

"You're breaking up with me?" Puck asks. His voice is hurt.

"Yes. I think we should just have a professional relationship in Glee. Our personal relationship is over," Rachel replies.

They both take a deep breath and sigh. That's not how he wanted this conversation to go. But, he's not going to let her go. He's determined to fight for her. During the course of the conversation, her anger turned into fury. He thinks a simple apology will suffice. It's been over a month since she found out about Finn and Santana, and the pain is still there, buried deep within her. She doesn't know when the pain will go away, or if it even will. Puck cut open the old wound. She knows she's not as pretty as Santana or Quinn. Will she always be a distant second to them?

Rachel reports to Dustin's office for her independent study. He's on the phone, but motions for her to take a seat. Sitting down, she sees the sheet music he's pulled. There's one stack of songs he's considering for the group number. There's another stack of songs he's considering for Rachel and Puck to sing as a duet. Rachel notes with a frown that he hasn't pulled any solos. When he hangs up, he looks at Rachel and sees her looking through the sheet music.

"Those are my ideas for Nationals," Dustin says.

"I don't understand why we have to do a duet again," Rachel says.

"We don't. We can do whatever we want. Your duet at Regionals went over really well. Why wouldn't we do another duet?" Dustin says.

Sitting back in her chair, Rachel folds her arms in front of her. "There's no way I'm doing a duet with _him_," Rachel says. She raises her voice a bit. Her tone is bitter.

Dustin frowns, confused. "He's your boyfriend," Dustin says.

"Not anymore," Rachel mutters.

The emotions she tried to push away rise to the surface. She's angry and sad. But, most of all, she's hurt. A tear rolls down her cheek. Dustin exhales deeply. He's a guy. It's programmed into him to hate it when girls cry. He doesn't think. He just pulls her into a hug. It's instinct to comfort her. She allows herself to take comfort in his arms. This is what she's needed since prom night. Someone to hold her. Someone to listen, sympathize.

"He's not an honorable person. He's been sexting Santana. He didn't even tell me. He lied to me. I only know because I saw the text messages," Rachel says.

"Hold up. Where have I heard that name?" Dustin wonders.

"Santana? She's on New Directions. My ex-boyfriend had sex with her," Rachel explains.

Dustin nods his head. He remembers now. When he approached Rachel at McKinley's Sectionals, she was upset about Finn and Santana.

"I know I'm not pretty like her. I'll always come in second to girls like her. I'll never be enough," Rachel says. Her voice cracks with emotion.

Dustin parts from her so he can look at her. Looking into her eyes, he can see unshed tears in them.

"Let me tell you something. I'm handsome. I'm good looking and I'm easy on the eyes. Also, I'm gorgeous. I can get anyone I want. I've been with some beautiful girls. And you're beautiful. You're better looking than 85% of them," Dustin says.

Rachel looks at him and sees him in a different light. He's not just her coach. He's a boy. No, he's a man. A tall, dark and handsome man. And, he's more mature than the boys she's been with, the boys that have hurt her. She remembers her silly schoolgirl crush on Will Schuester. He didn't even like her as a student…much less like her like _that_. This is different. Dustin seems to genuinely like her. He appreciates her talent. And, he appreciates her beauty. The urge to kiss him overwhelms her. She leans in and presses her lips to his. Without thinking, he kisses her back. The second Dustin realizes that he's kissing his student, he jumps back.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asks.

"I'm surprised you even have to ask. I'm your coach. We can't get involved," Dustin replies.

"We already are. You kissed me back. I know you felt something," Rachel says.

Of course he felt something. Rachel Berry may be a teenager, but that was a very adult kiss. It was full of passion. She may not be classically beautiful, but she is stunning. Her looks are unique. Striking. Alluring. He's only human. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"That's true," Dustin admits. "But, this is inappropriate," Dustin says.

"Actresses have relationships with their directors," Rachel points out.

"You're sixteen," Dustin reminds her.

"Which means I'm almost an adult. And I'm mature for my age," Rachel says.

"No one would approve of this," Dustin mutters under his breath.

"Then no one can know," Rachel says.

As she tries to convince him, her full lips part into a sexy pout. His mind goes blank. He can't think of one coherent word to utter in response. Maybe deep down he doesn't want to. All he wants is to kiss her again. So, he does. He doesn't think. He just feels. With his eyes closed, he can almost forget that she's his student. She's just a girl. And, she's willing. Her lips part in invitation. When the kiss ends, Dustin stares at her.

And, just like that, their relationship crosses the line of teacher and student. For the next week, they spend Rachel's independent study sessions making out. As soon as Rachel gets to his office, they lock the door. They shut the outside world out. It's just the two of them. His office is their love nest. But, they're not in love. For Dustin, Rachel is beautiful and talented. In a few years, she'll be a star. Out of his league. But, now, she's his. A part of Rachel wants to hurt Puck like he hurt her. An eye for an eye. Of course, he can't know about Dustin. Still, she knows she's with someone else and it makes her feel a little better. Puck and Finn made her feel like the ugly duckling. They tore her down. Dustin's building her back up. He makes her feel beautiful. The more time they spend together, the more she likes him. She has more in common with him than Puck or Finn. He knows everything there is to know about music. He can hold his own in a conversation about any musical, actor or musician. It's almost like having a conversation with Jesse St. James. Despite Rachel's best efforts to keep her forbidden love with Jesse a secret, everyone in New Directions knew within a week. How long can she keep Dustin her dirty little secret?

It only takes one week for her to make a mistake. She goes to a café for lunch with the girls in Vocal Adrenaline. She gets Dustin a cup of coffee. Black. No milk or sugar. Yes, she knows how he likes his coffee. When they get back to school, there are still a few minutes before the bell rings. Haylee, Andrea, Lauren and Giselle head to class early. So, Rachel goes to Dustin's office. She walks in without knocking. As she opens the door, she greets him with a wide smile.

"Hi, Dustin. I got you a coffee," Rachel says.

Now, she only calls him Mr. Goolsby at rehearsal. When they're alone, he's just Dustin. She stops talking suddenly when she realizes they're not alone. Shelby is sitting in Rachel's usual chair.

Shelby agreed to give Dustin a few tips for Nationals. So, she had lunch with him in his office. They talked about everything from hotels in New York to the competition. Their conversation gets cut short when Rachel walks in. Rachel's words are like warning bells. _Dustin_? Rachel's only known Dustin for about a month. He's her teacher and coach. Jesse knew Shelby for four years, and even he didn't start calling her Shelby until after he graduated. And, how does Rachel know how he likes his coffee? Shelby's been a teacher for years, and she doesn't have one student that knows how she likes her coffee. Dustin's bond with Rachel clearly crosses the line of teacher and student. They're too close for comfort. Something doesn't feel right. Maybe it's mother's tuition.

When Shelby looks up, she sees a hint of color in Rachel's cheeks. Rachel quickly averts her eyes. The warning bells going off in Shelby's head get uncomfortably loud.

"Um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," Rachel says.

Rachel turns around to leave, but Shelby stops her.

"It's okay. I have to go to class," Shelby says.

Rachel nods her head. She steps back to let Shelby pass. Shelby looks back at Rachel as she leaves. Whether what she's seeing is real or just a hallucination, she doesn't want to leave Rachel alone with Dustin. Rachel keeps her eyes on the floor.

When Shelby finally does leave, Rachel closes the door and locks it. She takes her seat next to Dustin and puts his coffee on the desk. Dustin is visibly uncomfortable. He takes a sip of coffee and calms down a little.

"Well, that was awkward. I can't even believe you did that," Dustin says.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she would be here," Rachel says.

"The point is you didn't know if I was alone," Dustin says.

"I'm sorry," Rachel says again. "Are you going to waste the hour being mad at me?" Rachel asks.

"I'm not mad at you," Dustin replies.

As Rachel and Dustin talk, Shelby walks to her classroom. She doesn't know what to do. Should she talk to Rachel? The last time they talked was at a Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal. That was weeks ago. Shelby can't just accuse Rachel of…of _what_ exactly? Calling her teacher by his first name? Knowing how he likes his coffee? That's not enough evidence. She can't just accuse Rachel of having an inappropriate relationship with her teacher without proof. What if she's reading too much into this? Falsely accusing Rachel would push Rachel even further away than she already is. Shelby sighs slowly.

Shelby is halfway to her classroom when she realizes that she was so worried about Rachel, she wasn't thinking and left her cell phone in Dustin's office. She turns around and goes back to get it. Without knocking, she tries the door, but it's locked. The locked door is a red flag. She immediately bangs on the door.

Behind the closed door, Rachel and Dustin end their kiss and jump back. Unsure what to do, Rachel looks at Dustin. He pushes sheet music toward her.

"Just pretend like you're looking for a song for your solo," Dustin says.

Dustin gets up and opens the door. Shelby walks past Dustin, shoving him back a few feet. Rachel keeps her eyes on the sheet music. Stepping between them, Shelby looks from Dustin to her daughter. Seeing their swollen lips that scream they've been kissing, Shelby's suspicions are confirmed. She could kill Dustin. She closes her eyes for a few seconds and thinks about how good it would feel to ring his neck. She takes a deep breath to calm down. Not that it helps. No, she's too angry.

"Why was the door locked?" Shelby demands.

The question is enough to freeze Dustin. He looks like a deer caught in headlights. When he doesn't say anything, Rachel speaks up.

"We were talking about the set list for Nationals. Obviously it's confidential. We didn't want to be overheard," Rachel says. She looks down.

"That's true. We were doing that," Dustin says. It sounds more like he's trying to convince himself than Shelby.

"Stop! Just stop lying!" Shelby yells.

Rachel is startled by the severity in Shelby's voice. Shelby hasn't spoken to her like this since the night she was arrested. Apparently Shelby is angry. If Shelby is this angry about the door being locked, it can only mean one thing…she knows exactly what they were doing behind the closed door.

Bringing her hands to her hips, Shelby stares at Dustin. Her stare is brutal. "Messing around with a sixteen year old is illegal," Shelby says. She doesn't raise her voice because she doesn't want the entire school knowing, but that doesn't lessen the power and fury of her words.

Dustin can't deny it. His silence speaks volumes. Feeling guilty, he looks down.

"We didn't do anything," Rachel protests.

Shelby turns to face Rachel. She doesn't want to hear lies, and it's clear Rachel won't tell her the truth. Looking directly at Rachel, Shelby crosses her arms in front of her chest.

"I don't want to hear it!" Shelby says. Her tone is stern. She hands her office key to a reluctant Rachel. "Go wait in my office," Shelby orders. This time, she raises her voice.

"Why should I leave?" Rachel demands. "You're talking about me," Rachel points out.

Shelby grabs Rachel's arm and yanks her up from the chair. Rachel rips her arm out of Shelby's grip and folds her arms in front of her chest. Shelby sighs in frustration. Rachel isn't going to go willingly. Rachel is stubborn, just like her. If she wants Rachel in her office, she's going to have to drag her there kicking and screaming. She can't do that. She doesn't want to make a scene. The fewer people that know about this, the better. Instead, she focuses on Dustin. She handpicked him as her replacement. That was clearly an error in judgment. She trained him. He owes her, and this is how he repays her…sneaking around with her daughter.

"This is so wrong. You're supposed to be her coach. Not her make out buddy," Shelby hisses. Her voice is venomous. Deadly. "You _know_ she's my daughter," Shelby adds.

Shelby would be angry even if it weren't her daughter. Of course, she's even angrier because it is Rachel. She doesn't understand how a teacher can have a romantic relationship with a student. Of course she's had handsome boys in her class, but she doesn't see them like that. She sees them as her students, as teenagers. They're the same age as her daughter. The thought of kissing one of them disgusts her. The thought of Dustin's tongue shoved down her daughter's throat makes her feel physically ill.

"I'm sorry," Dustin says.

"Sorry isn't good enough. It's over. You can't coach Vocal Adrenaline anymore," Shelby says.

That's the end of the conversation for Shelby. Final word said. But, it seems Dustin disagrees.

"You can't fire me," Dustin points out.

Standing her ground with her arms crossed over her chest, Shelby tilts her head to the right. "I'm not firing you. I want you to quit. You can coach another Glee Club. If you don't quit, I will tell this story to Principal Nielson and you will get fired. I don't think you really want that," Shelby says. She kinks her eyebrows.

Dustin nods in acceptance. But, Rachel isn't so quick to agree.

"Shelby, please. Can you just pretend this never happened? I'll do anything you want. Anything!" Rachel pleads. Her desperation is clear. Her eyes are silently pleading with Shelby.

Shaking her head, Shelby stares at Rachel incredulously. She would never agree to that. She doesn't know how Rachel can even ask.

"Rachel, I can't do that," Shelby says, exasperated.

Defeated, Rachel's chin drops toward her chest. Dustin is a good coach, yet he's losing his job because of her.

Shelby spins back to Dustin. She leans in so her face is only about an inch away from his. "Don't contact her ever again. If you do, you _will_ regret it," Shelby promises. Her voice is cold, almost cruel.

Dustin takes a step back. When she trained him, he saw her punish students that disobeyed her orders. He decided right then and there that he never wanted to be in their shoes. Now, he's done wrong by her and he's public enemy number one.

Shelby grabs Rachel's arm and pulls her out of Dustin's office. She keeps a firm grip on her daughter as she makes her way down the hall. She pauses briefly to ask another teacher to cover her class, but she doesn't stop until they're in her office. She shuts the door behind them.

"Sit down," Shelby orders.

Rachel reluctantly takes a seat. Angry and frustrated, she crosses her arms in front of her and looks away from Shelby.

Shelby stares at her in disbelief. She just interrupted her daughter's make out session with a teacher. She can't remember ever being this angry before. Not once in over thirty years. She can't even believe Rachel is angry with her. Rachel is clearly the one in the wrong.

"Seriously? You're angry with me?" Shelby asks.

"Yes! Du- Mr. Goolsby is a good coach! He's better than Mr. Schuester! He appreciates my talent! There's so much I can learn from him that I can't learn from anyone else. And now he's never going to be my coach again because of you!" Rachel cries out. Her tone is accusatory.

"Good coaches don't mess around with their students!" Shelby snaps.

"Well, good parents don't ruin their daughters' lives," Rachel mutters.

Shelby didn't know words could hurt like this. They shoot her right through the heart. Make her bleed. A part of her thinks Rachel is right. From what she knows, her daughter was the golden child before they met. Intelligent. Talented. Polite. Well-mannered. Sweet. Innocent. But, she knows Rachel isn't that kid anymore. This version of her daughter is out of control. Dating a juvenile delinquent. Having wild parties and getting arrested. Having an affair with her teacher.

"Oh, I think you're doing a pretty good job of that on your own," Shelby says. She thinks she muttered the words under her breath, but Rachel hears her anyway.

Shelby can see the hurt clearly reflected in Rachel's eyes. She reaches out and puts her hand gently on Rachel's knee.

"Rachel, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Shelby says.

Rachel stares at her lap with tears in her eyes.

"Look, I'm doing you a favor. I'm not telling Principal Nielson. If anyone else found out, your reputation would be ruined. When teachers have affairs with students, it makes the news. Do you really think Tisch or Julliard would want a student that had an affair with her teacher?" Shelby says.

Rachel remembers seeing stories about teachers having affairs with students on the news. She knows Shelby is right. A part of her wants to tell Shelby how they got here. That Dustin comforted her after she broke up with Puck. That she felt bad and Dustin made her feel better. That it's not as bad as it seems…that _she's_ not as bad as Shelby seems to think she is. But, another part of her is scared that Shelby's already made up her mind about Rachel. That nothing Rachel can say or do will change it. In fact, everything Rachel does seems to make Shelby even more confident that she doesn't want to be Rachel's mom. Why would she want a daughter that had an affair with her teacher…that got arrested? The answer is she wouldn't…she _didn't_. Not when she could adopt Beth, raise her right. For a second, Rachel hopes Beth is like Quinn. Maybe, if Beth gets pregnant at sixteen, Shelby will finally see that Rachel isn't so bad. Rachel immediately feels a stab of guilt. She still loves Puck, and Beth is his daughter, too. She knows Beth is just an innocent bystander. She can't wish bad things on Beth.

"No, they would never want me," Rachel admits. She looks up at Shelby with fear in her eyes. "Are you going to tell my dads?" Rachel asks.

Shelby sighs. She _should_ tell Rachel's dads. She would want to know if it was Beth. But, she doesn't want to talk to them. And, she really doesn't want to tell them that the Glee coach _she_ picked has been making out with their daughter. She's scared of how they may react. They would probably blame her. Worse still, she doesn't want to tell them and have them go to Principal Nielson. What she said is true…if anyone else finds out, Rachel's reputation will be ruined. It will follow her to New York. It will haunt her for the rest of her life. Besides, Rachel's dads don't really need to know. Shelby dealt with it. There's no way Dustin will go anywhere near Rachel now. She just needs to make sure Rachel stays away from him. So, she'll make a deal with Rachel. She won't tell Rachel's dads, and in turn, Rachel won't contact Dustin.

"No, I'm not just as long as you don't contact Mr. Goolsby," Shelby replies.

"Can I at least apologize?" Rachel asks. "It's kind of my fault he lost his job," Rachel points out.

"It's not your fault. It's his. He's an adult. He shouldn't have done this," Shelby says.

"But-"

But, Rachel doesn't even get one word out when Shelby cuts her off.

"I don't want to hear it. You can't contact him. Ever again," Shelby says. This time, it's not a deal for Rachel to make or break. It's an order. A command. Shelby's voice is stern.

"Fine," Rachel mutters.

As Rachel leaves Shelby's office, she's thinking about how badly she messed up. _She_ kissed _him_. Not the other way around. Rachel's crushed under the weight of her own guilt. _No one can know_. Of all the people to find out, it had to be Shelby. Her mother already thinks it was a mistake to find her. Now, Shelby probably thinks it was an even bigger mistake. And, the one person that wanted to be her coach is leaving because of her.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed!


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Dustin doesn't want to quit his job. He's coaching the top show choir in the country. He knows Vocal Adrenaline can win yet another National title. Thanks to the support of the booster club, he's practically swimming in money. He's getting a reputation. His name is known. Respected. If he quits now, he'll be known as flighty. But, it's better to quit than be fired. And Shelby has enough dirt on him to get him fired. So, he turns in his resignation to the shocked and confused principal as soon as Shelby and Rachel leave his office. He tells Principal Nielson he has a family emergency and has to return to his hometown.

One student sees him cleaning out his office. That's all it takes. By the time Vocal Adrenaline practice starts, everyone knows Dustin Goolsby is no longer their coach. But no one knows why. Except Rachel. As they wait anxiously in the auditorium, the others share the stories they've heard. The theories they've come up with.

"There's no way he quit. We're Vocal Adrenaline. We're the best. He got fired," Giselle says.

"Maybe he quit and adopted a baby," Haylee jokes.

"That's so last season," Kurt says, rolling his eyes.

"I heard he was stealing money from the booster club. That's why he got fired," Michael says.

"I hope Dakota doesn't take over Vocal Adrenaline," Andrea says, worried.

All Rachel can do is sit there and listen to the rumors. None of them are true. And each one is worse than the last. Guilt is eating away at her. She wants to tell them the truth, but she knows she can't. She breathes a sigh of relief when Principal Nielson walks into the auditorium. Her teammates stop talking immediately.

"Mr. Goolsby quit because of a family emergency. Rehearsal is cancelled until further notice," Principal Nielsen announces.

"What? Nationals is coming up. We have to practice," Haylee protests.

"I know. I'm proud of you guys. Vocal Adrenaline has won more consecutive National titles than any other team in this school. I am doing everything I can to find a replacement for Mr. Goolsby on such short notice," Principal Nielsen explains.

Knowing they need a new coach, the students remain in the auditorium to talk after their principal leaves.

"I can run rehearsal in Mr. Goolsby's absence," Rachel says.

Remembering the times Rachel tried to run New Directions, Kurt rolls his eyes.

"She is almost as good as Ms. Corcoran," Haylee says.

"Why settle for an imitation when we can get the original? We can ask Ms. Corcoran to come back," Giselle suggests.

"She doesn't want to coach Glee anymore. She wouldn't have quit if she did," Haylee points out.

"What's she going to do? Bring a baby to rehearsal?" Lauren asks, chuckling.

"I'd take Ms. Corcoran over Dakota any day," Andrea says.

"At McKinley, we had a substitute run Glee while Mr. Schue was sick. She was good. Maybe we can ask her," Kurt suggests.

"What's her name?" Andrea asks.

"Ms. Holliday. She was chill," Puck replies.

"I've never heard of her. We need a coach with a proven track record. Look, Nationals is less than a month away. We need a coach _now_. Maybe Ms. Corcoran will do it just until Mr. Nielson can find a new coach," Haylee says.

"Ask her, Rachel," Giselle says. It comes out as an order.

Rachel stares at her helplessly. She remembers the last time she asked Shelby to coach her. It was her last ditch attempt to get to know her mother. And it failed miserably. Shelby didn't even consider it. Rachel doesn't want to ask again and be turned down again. Or worse, she doesn't want to ask and get a different answer. Because, if Shelby says yes now, it will be for Vocal Adrenaline. Not for Rachel.

"What? Why should _I_ do it?" Rachel asks.

"You're her daughter," Giselle says as though it should be obvious.

Rachel doesn't know whether she should laugh or cry. Beth is more Shelby's daughter than Rachel is. But, she can't explain that to them when she doesn't even understand it herself. And, whether they know it or not, she's responsible for Dustin leaving. The least she can do is ask Shelby.

"Okay. I don't know if she'll do it, but I'll talk to her," Rachel agrees.

"Now," Giselle says pointedly.

So, Rachel walks out of the auditorium. Her steps are short and slow. She's filled with dread and fear. Her hand feels heavy as she raises it to knock on Shelby's office door.

Sitting at her desk, Shelby is catching up on email before she goes home. There's only a week left until summer break. She's been bombarded with emails from parents. Everyone thinks their little darling should have an A in her class. Shelby doesn't _give_ A's. Her students have to _earn_ them. And most of them don't. When she hears a knock on her door, she thinks it's probably one of the students coming to beg for extra credit. There's no extra credit in her class. She exhales deeply and calls for them to come in. She doesn't bother looking up from her computer.

"What?" Shelby demands.

"Is this a bad time?" Rachel asks.

Shelby looks up when she hears her daughter's voice. She shakes her head. "Come in," Shelby says.

Rachel takes a step into Shelby's office, but doesn't sit down. It's like she wants to be able to turn around and head for the hills.

"As you know, Du- Mr. Goolsby quit," Rachel says.

Hearing her daughter mention Dustin, Shelby wants to know if Rachel's already broken her promise. Shelby stands up and a few steps bring her close enough to look into Rachel's eyes.

"Did you talk to him?" Shelby asks. There's an edge to her voice.

Rachel shakes her head. "No. Principal Nielson told us," Rachel replies.

"Good," Shelby says.

"We, um, want you to coach Vocal Adrenaline. Just until Principal Nielson finds a new coach," Rachel says.

Shelby knew it would only be a matter of time before someone asked her to help. She expected it. They needed a coach. She coached them for years. She won a National title every year she was coach. She doesn't know what to do. The decision had been weighing on her since lunch. She doesn't want to coach Glee anymore. When she was coaching, she practically lived in Carmel High's auditorium. She had no life outside of work. Now, everything's changed. She can't wait for the workday to end. Beth is waiting for her at home. It's hell being away from her. She already missed so much of Rachel's life. She doesn't want to miss any of Beth's. She was there for Beth's first word and first steps. As much as Shelby wants to say no, she doesn't know if she can. Vocal Adrenaline can't compete without a coach. It could take Principal Nielson weeks or even months to find one. She knows it's not fair for the students to have to forfeit. They worked hard to get where they are. She could say yes and leave at 5:00 whether they have the routines down or not. But, she knows she wouldn't be able to do that. Shelby Corcoran is a perfectionist. She would want to be proud of her work, of her team. She would need to win. She came up with a plan, but she's afraid of how Rachel may react.

"Rachel, I can't be here running rehearsal all the time. Beth needs me," Shelby begins.

Rachel looks down and takes a step back. Over a year ago, she tried to find the words to persuade her mother. She wanted Shelby to say yes so much. She wasn't going to give up without a fight. Now, she's used to Shelby disappointing her. Half the time Shelby pretends she doesn't know Rachel. She doesn't acknowledge Rachel when they see each other. They act like perfect strangers. No one would know they're family. The few times Shelby has spoken to her, it hasn't been planned. In fact, Shelby has never had any intention of talking to her estranged daughter. She didn't _plan_ to get a call to pick Rachel up from the police station. She made it clear how she felt about that incident. She didn't _plan_ on breaking up a fight between Vocal Adrenaline and New Directions. She didn't _plan_ to interrupt Rachel and Dustin's make out session. Every time her mother helps her, she gets her hopes up only to have them crushed. As soon as the unexpected crisis is averted, they're back to pretending they don't know each other. As Shelby denies Rachel one more time, the old wound is cut open again. Rachel starts to leave, but Shelby stops her.

"Rachel, wait," Shelby calls.

Rachel stops in the doorway, but doesn't look at Shelby.

"Look, I can't be here all the time. I'll come back just as long as Jesse is co-director," Shelby says.

Jesse is home for the summer. Shelby had coffee with him earlier that week. He's good at show choir. He's familiar with Vocal Adrenaline. He and Shelby work well together. Shelby trusts him. She can leave the team in his capable hands and go home to Beth.

With wide eyes, Rachel stares at Shelby. Jesse is the last person Rachel wants to see every day. Shelby couldn't have chosen a worse co-director if she'd tried. Maybe she _did_ try. Maybe Shelby is trying to punish her for her tryst with Dustin.

"Are you trying to punish me by having Jesse be co-director?" Rachel asks.

"No. I'm really trying to make this work," Shelby replies.

Rachel sighs slowly. This is even worse than the worst-case scenario she imagined. She wants to tell Shelby to forget it, but she can't. They need a coach. And the vast majority of her teammates want Shelby to be the coach. Rachel has to suck it up for the team. She has to face her demons. Not just face them. See them in practice every day.

"Fine," Rachel mutters.

It's not convincing. Shelby can hear the bitterness in Rachel's tone. She knows Rachel doesn't want this. But, it's just for a month.

"Tell everyone that rehearsal is cancelled for the rest of the week. I'll work with you guys in class. Jesse and I will work out a rehearsal schedule for this summer," Shelby says.

Rachel nods her head.

"Oh, and, Rachel, I want you to come to my class this week. We need to make the most of the time we have before Nationals. Clearly you were goofing off during your independent study sessions," Shelby says. It comes out harsher than she intended.

Glaring at Shelby, Rachel folds her arms in front of her chest. Shelby's wrong. Yes, Rachel and Dustin weren't working on Aural Skills for the entire hour. But, they did come up with ideas for Rachel's solo at Nationals. Of course Shelby thinks the worst about Rachel. Despite what Shelby said, Rachel feels like she's being punished. She's going to be at Shelby's mercy for the next month. And she's afraid Shelby won't show her mercy.

"Mr. Goolsby and I were going over ideas for my solo at Nationals," Rachel says.

Shelby kinks an eyebrow in disbelief. She knows they weren't working. She's not stupid.

"We were," Rachel insists.

"What song are you doing?" Shelby asks.

They hadn't decided yet, but Rachel doesn't want to admit that. Rachel wanted to do Barbra. Dustin wanted her to do the unexpected. He pulled a few songs from newer musicals. One of the songs he liked was _Mama Who Bore Me_ from _Spring Awakening_. It's perfect for Rachel's voice. And she sings it with emotional depth. She knows exactly how Wendla feels. Wendla's mother didn't give her what she needed. Rachel didn't want to do it, though. She didn't know if Dustin would ask Shelby for help before Nationals, and she didn't want to sing _Mama Who Bore Me_ if her mother was in the audience. She knew she would end up singing it directly to Shelby. Shelby would hear the emotion in her voice and know how much she had hurt Rachel. Rachel doesn't want to show emotion to Shelby. She doesn't want Shelby to see that she cares. But, her anger is more powerful than reason. In the heat of the moment, she wants to hurt Shelby.

"I'm doing _Mama Who Bore Me_ from _Spring Awakening_," Rachel replies.

Rachel had to stop and think about it. If she and Dustin had real ideas for her solo, she wouldn't have had to think about it. The song names would have just come out. No hesitation. The pause confirms Shelby's suspicions. Dustin and Rachel didn't do anything during her independent study sessions. That's not true. Shelby knows exactly what they were doing. And it won't help Vocal Adrenaline at Nationals. The song Rachel decides on startles Shelby. Rachel knows every song ever written and she picked _that_? Shelby knows the song isn't a coincidence. It's a message.

Raising her eyebrows, Shelby stares at Rachel. "Excuse me?" Shelby says.

"You haven't heard it? _Spring Awakening_ is my favorite musical," Rachel says. Her tone is mock innocent.

"Of course I've heard of it," Shelby says. She looks straight into Rachel's eyes. "Whose idea was it? Yours? Or Mr. Goolsby's?" Shelby asks.

"It was Mr. Goolsby's," Rachel replies.

It's the truth. But, somehow, Shelby doesn't believe her. A part of Shelby wants to push Rachel to open up. But, another part of her is afraid of what Rachel will say if she opens up. She thinks Rachel hates her and doesn't want to hear it. If Rachel says it out loud, it will somehow become more real. The truth could hurt. So, Shelby pushes her feelings aside. When she speaks, she's all business. No emotion.

"I need to write a new set list. He could get a job coaching our competition," Shelby says.

"He wouldn't," Rachel says. Her tone is defensive. Firm.

Rachel trusts Dustin. She doesn't think he would do anything to hurt her. And because of that, she's loyal to him.

Shelby rolls her eyes. "Don't think for a second that he's a good guy," Shelby mutters.

"He is," Rachel insists.

"Rachel, he's not," Shelby snaps.

"And you are?" Rachel says.

It seems Rachel doesn't think so. Her sarcasm isn't lost on Shelby. Shelby sighs slowly.

"Better than him," Shelby replies.

Rachel shakes her head in disagreement. Shelby sees pure fury in her daughter's eyes. "At least he didn't hurt anyone," Rachel snaps.

_And you did._ Rachel doesn't have to say the words. Shelby knows. She never wanted to hurt Rachel. But she did. And she doesn't know how to make up for it. So, she lets it go. But, Rachel doesn't get to make her out to be the bad guy and Dustin out to be a patron saint. Dustin's not innocent, and Rachel's his unsuspecting victim.

"You're wrong," Shelby says. Her tone is firm and serious.

"Whatever," Rachel says. Her tone is disinterested.

She mumbles something about going to tell everyone and leaves. She stops just outside of the auditorium. She leans back against the wall and takes a deep breath. A short conversation with her mother leaves her exhausted. She doesn't know how she's going to get through the next month. She knows it's not going to be easy. When she's ready, she walks into the auditorium. Everyone is waiting to hear what happened.

"She'll be co-director with Jesse. There's no rehearsal this week," Rachel says.

Slowly their expressions change from worried frowns to relaxed smiles. They know they'll win with Shelby as coach. They're so close to victory they can taste it. They take off to make the most of their week off. They know they won't have any free time once Shelby returns.

Rachel is the last to leave. She picks up her bag and heads for the door. She's surprised to see Puck leaning against the wall waiting for her.

"You okay?" Puck asks.

"I'm fine," Rachel replies. It's automatic. Polite. There's no emotion in her voice.

Puck looks straight into her eyes. It's like he can see right through her. "You're a pretty good actress, but I know you," Puck says.

Rachel starts to walk away, but Puck follows her.

"Come on. Talk to me. I can't even imagine asking my dad for a favor. I can relate," Puck says.

"Fine," Rachel mutters. "Asking her for help was hard. Talking to her is hard. I don't even know how I'm going to survive the next month," Rachel cries out. There's a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Look, when she's driving you crazy, you can come to me. I know how bad it sucks," Puck says.

A grateful smile comes across Rachel's face. "Thank you, Noah," Rachel says.

She's not ready to forgive him, but she can see that he's trying. It's been one of the hardest days she's had to endure. The person that's been there for her the last week is gone. Just like that. She didn't even get to say goodbye. Now, instead of having a coach that genuinely likes her, she's stuck with one that doesn't want anything to do with her and another that egged her. Chinese water torture would probably be more fun than rehearsal will be with them. It's going to be a long month. At least, Puck is here if she needs him. She doesn't feel like she's alone. She has an ally in the battles that lie ahead.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed!


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Despite the reason Shelby gave Rachel one year ago for not wanting to be co-director of New Directions, Shelby didn't hesitate to step in and coach Vocal Adrenaline. Shelby didn't even have to think about it. It's clear that not being able to coach Glee anymore because she wanted a family was just as excuse. Rachel knows the real reason was that Shelby didn't want to coach _Rachel_. Now, Shelby's coaching Rachel, but only because she has to if she wants to help her students. Rachel's sure her mother doesn't want to coach her. That's why when Rachel walks into Shelby's classroom, she heads straight to the back instead of taking her usual seat in the front. Sitting down, she folds her arms in front of her chest. She doesn't look at Shelby and it looks like she's barely listening as Shelby starts class.

"Guys, listen. We have one month to write a new set list and get the routines down. Which means we've got a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it. I came up with some ideas for songs last night. I want to get through all of them today. We're going to start with my ideas for the solo. Rachel?" Shelby says. Her tone is serious. It expects obedience.

Shelby picks up the sheet music for the first song and waits for her daughter to come down. When Rachel doesn't, Shelby looks up and sees Rachel staring off to space. Puck elbows Rachel in the ribs and nods toward Shelby.

It takes Rachel a few seconds to move as she realizes what she missed. Shelby came up with ideas for Rachel's solo. Rachel gets disappointed because she spent hours coming up with her own ideas for her solo. There's a list in her notebook. She opens her mouth, but doesn't say a word when she sees the annoyance on Shelby's face. Now isn't the time to share her ideas. The smart thing to do would be to give Shelby's ideas a try, and then throw her own ideas out there. So, Rachel gets up and walks over to Shelby.

Shelby hands her the sheet music for Carly Simon's _Let The River Run_. Rachel's first thought is that the song is perfect for her. And, that thought annoys her. Shelby's good. And, Shelby will only help her if it helps Vocal Adrenaline.

After Rachel sings the last line of the song, she looks at Shelby to see her reaction. Shelby's face is blank. Without a word, Shelby hands her the sheet music for Celine Dion's _A New Day Has Come_. Rachel sighs slowly.

Rachel gets the exact same reaction after the second song. Nothing. No smile. Not one word. She takes the sheet music for _Defying Gravity_ from Shelby and starts singing. When she's done, Shelby looks at the class.

"Okay, guys, let's take the group numbers for a spin," Shelby says.

As the other students join Rachel in the front, a confused Rachel stares at Shelby. Rachel doesn't know if Shelby even liked any of the songs. And, if she did, what song Rachel's doing.

"What song am I doing for my solo?" Rachel asks.

Taken aback by the question, Shelby stares at Rachel. It takes her a moment to realize Rachel doesn't know how she does things. She always has Vocal Adrenaline learn multiple routines. Yes, multiple. And then, she goes with the best.

"I want to practice all of them for a while," Shelby replies.

"If you didn't think any of them were outstanding, I have some ideas. I think-" Rachel says.

But, Shelby quickly cuts Rachel off before she can list her ideas.

"I don't want to hear everyone's ideas. We don't have enough time to do all of them. We really need to get through my ideas for the group number," Shelby says. She's careful not to raise her voice. Her tone is firm, but not severe.

It's true. She has almost thirty students. If she listens to one of their ideas, they'll all jump in with their own ideas. It will suck up the entire hour.

"Clearly you don't know what song you want me to do. I think I should be involved in the decision-making process. It is my solo," Rachel argues. Her stance is defiant.

"Rachel, you've never been to a Nationals competition! I've won five National titles! I think I can write a set list!" Shelby yells.

Realizing she's yelling at her daughter, Shelby takes a deep breath to calm down. She promised herself she wouldn't do this. She's visibly frustrated that Rachel just won't listen to her and respect her wishes. None of her students have defied her so openly, not once in all these years.

_You've never been to a Nationals competition._ The words are like a slap in the face. A painful reminder that last year New Directions lost Regionals to Vocal Adrenaline, Rachel's team lost to her mother's team. That's all Shelby sees when she looks at Rachel…a loser. That's probably why Shelby won't even listen to her ideas. Dustin listened to her ideas. Even Will listened to her ideas.

"Let's give credit where credit is due. _You_ didn't win. You weren't singing at those Nationals competitions. Your team won. _Jesse_ won. Without him, you and I both know I would have won and gone to Nationals last year," Rachel says.

She regrets the vicious words the second they leave her mouth. Even if a part of her believes they're true.

The shock and hurt is written all over Shelby's face. The other students know it will soon turn into fury. So, they take a step back, away from Shelby, as they prepare for the storm to hit.

Shelby tilts her head to the side. "Sure my team won…with _my_ routines!" Shelby yells. She looks straight into her daughter's eyes. "Don't think for a second that I can't win without Jesse. When I won my first National title, Jesse wasn't on Vocal Adrenaline. Now you can listen to me and we can win this thing or you can do it your way and lose," Shelby says. As she waits for a response, she kinks her eyebrows in silent challenge.

Rachel is visibly annoyed that her mother basically called her a loser. Yes, Rachel slung the first insult, but still.

"As offended as I am that you won't listen to my clearly brilliant ideas and don't appreciate my talent, I won't let anything get in the way of winning," Rachel says.

Shelby nods her head once and hands out packets of sheet music for the group number. There's Green Day's _Time Of Your Life_, Tears For Fears' _Everybody Wants To Rule The World_, and The Black Eyed Peas' _Meet Me Halfway_. She can see Giselle frown at the last song, but Giselle doesn't dare say anything. Rachel remains silent as well, only opening her mouth when they're singing.

They make it through the rest of the week without any problems. It takes everything Rachel's got not to give her two cents. And then, at the first all-day rehearsal, things go to hell in a handbasket.

Shelby still hasn't made a final decision about the set list. She eliminated _Meet Me Halfway_ as an option for the group number. She hasn't given Rachel any hints on what song she'll be doing for the solo. With every day, Rachel gets even more frustrated. It's not that Rachel minds practicing. It's just that she wants to focus on the song she's going to be singing. Instead, she's practicing five songs: two group numbers and three solos. She's working twice as hard as everyone else. She's working harder than she's ever worked in her life. She has to be perfect. She's determined to prove herself to her mother. There's no room for error. Because, any imperfection will only make Shelby more certain that she's a loser. The pressure is starting to get to her. Last time she felt like this, she lost her voice. She's been taking vitamins and supplements in hopes that she won't lose it again.

It's late afternoon, and they've been in the auditorium since 6:30 am. Standing on stage under the hot spotlights, Rachel belts _Defying Gravity_ for the first time that day. She's already done _Let The River Run_ and _A New Day Has Come_ multiple times. Her voice is starting to get tired. And she misses a note. It's the first time she's missed a note in over a week. She can't see Shelby because of the spotlights, but somehow she knows Shelby saw. She can almost imagine the look of disapproval.

"Stop! Just stop!" Shelby barks.

Sighing slowly, Rachel stops and steps out of the spotlight.

"Rachel, you missed a note. You're supposed to be getting better. Not worse!" Shelby calls.

"I'm sorry. My voice is tired," Rachel mutters.

"Maybe we could take a break," Puck suggests.

"Vocal Adrenaline doesn't take breaks," Jesse scoffs.

Glaring at Jesse, Puck's hands ball into fists. Jesse catches the movement and knows he's irritating Puck. He smirks at Puck.

"Look, this is a hard song to sing. The notes are so high. I can get them, but it's hard on my voice. If I'm not going to do it at Nationals, maybe I can focus on the song I am doing for my solo," Rachel says.

"I know it's a hard song. That's the point. It's supposed to be hard. We're not gonna win this thing with easy songs," Shelby says.

"So I _am_ doing it at Nationals?" Rachel asks.

Shelby's shoulders rise and then fall. "I don't know," Shelby replies.

And she doesn't. She keeps waiting for one of the songs to stick out as the clear choice. Usually there's one song that just clicks. But Rachel sings all of them equally well. She has perfect pitch. Emotional depth. Theatricality. This is the first mistake Rachel's made.

"Why can't you choose? Don't you think it's kind of a waste of time for me to practice three solos when I'm only doing one?" Rachel demands. Her tone is self-righteous.

Shaking his head, Jesse tries to catch Rachel's eye.

He knows what it's like to be in her shoes. Shelby's strategy is to center the performance on the strongest performer. Which means the strongest performer always works their butt off. Again and again the star sings, and again and again Shelby stops the star to correct. Any mistake is corrected. Perfection isn't rewarded; it's expected. There are few people that can keep up with the high-level pace Shelby sets. Jesse's one of them. But still, sometimes keeping up wore him out. He feels Rachel's pain, and he knows she's going to be in a world of hurt now. Shelby is visibly annoyed.

Shelby stares at Rachel. She can't believe Rachel is making demands. If Rachel had asked calmly, she would have explained her reasons. But, she gets annoyed that her daughter is raising her voice in a self-righteous tone.

"I can choose. And I will choose…before Nationals," Shelby says. There's an edge to her voice.

"I think I should do Celine Dion's _A New Day Has Come_," Rachel says.

"Rachel, I said I will choose," Shelby snaps.

"You've had over a week to choose, but you haven't," Rachel points out. Her tone is accusatory.

"Rachel, that's enough!" Shelby yells. There's a hint of exasperation in her tone. She takes a deep breath to try to calm down. "I don't want to hear any more about the set list. You'll know what song you're doing just as soon as I do. Now drink some water and take it from the top," Shelby says. This time, she doesn't raise her voice, but she speaks in a strict tone that demands submission.

Rachel doesn't understand why Shelby won't just make up her mind already. Shelby's heard Rachel sing all of the songs over and over again. What's she waiting for? It feels like Shelby's delaying the decision just to teach Rachel a lesson. Rachel doesn't know what she's supposed to learn from practicing songs that she's not even going to sing in competition. Not to question Shelby? She's never liked it when people try to teach her lessons. It's one of the things Will Schuester did that irritated her to no end. The only thing she's interested in learning from her Glee coach is vocal skills. So, she stands her ground with her arms crossed in front of her chest and pushes Shelby to make a decision one more time.

"Well, maybe we should just practice the group numbers until you know what song I'm doing for my solo," Rachel says. There's a challenge in her voice. It's like she's telling her mother that she won't perform until a decision is made.

The pure defiance is more than Shelby's prepared to allow. Whether Rachel likes it or not, she's the coach and Rachel is her student. And, when she gives her students instructions, she expects them to follow her instructions. She told Rachel to take _Defying Gravity_ from the top, and Rachel flatly refused. She's already taken more from Rachel than any other student in all her years as a coach. She's not going to take any more.

"Come here," Shelby says. It comes out as an order. Stern.

Standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to the stage, Shelby waits with her hands on her hips.

Rachel is confused at first. It's not the response she expected. She expected a harsh reminder of Shelby's last words. She gets a knot in her stomach as she steps off the stage and stands before Shelby. Maybe she pushed Shelby too far. Shelby's eyes are cold.

"Go home," Shelby says. Her tone is flat as ice. There's anger in her voice, but she doesn't raise her voice. In fact, the other students can't hear the order from seats a few feet away.

Rachel blinks in confusion. There are still hours before rehearsal is over. And Shelby is speaking only to her.

"What?" Rachel asks.

"Go home," Shelby repeats in the same frigid tone.

"But-"

Rachel doesn't even get one word out when Shelby cuts her off.

"I don't want you here if you're not gonna listen to me," Shelby says.

The words fall like an axe. It finally hits Rachel that Shelby is kicking her out of rehearsal. She never imagined this would happen. She can't believe it is happening. She remembers all the times she fought with Will Schuester, and he never once kicked her out. She has to stop this from happening.

"Okay. I'll do _Defying Gravity_," Rachel relents.

Shelby shakes her head. "It's too late. You had a chance. I told you to go home," Shelby says.

Rachel stares at her in shock. The shock soon turns into hurt and anger. There's nothing, nothing Shelby could have done to hurt her more deeply. The team needs her. She's the star of Vocal Adrenaline. That's who she is. It hurts that Shelby can dismiss her so easily. She feels like she's been cast adrift. Rachel picks up her back and slowly walks to the door. She can feel her teammates staring at her as she leaves. It's humiliating.

**A/N:** Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed! Someone asked if Shelby knows what Jesse did to Rachel. She doesn't know he egged her. And, I didn't know Jesse would be returning to the show when I came up with the idea for him to be co-director. Considering Shelby didn't want to coach Glee anymore because she wanted a family, I didn't think it was realistic for her to coach unless she had a co-director. I want to note that I wasn't trying to make Shelby out to be the bad guy in this chapter. I think both Rachel and Shelby are to blame for the way things unfolded. I know most of you want Puck and Rachel to get back together. Bear with me a bit longer and you'll get what you want. I promise they will be back together before Nationals. There will be a scene between them in the next chapter.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

None of Shelby's students have ever spoken to her like Rachel just did. She would never allow it. She's taken more from her daughter than she would ever have taken from any other student. She knows her daughter doesn't want her to be the coach of Vocal Adrenaline. Not after everything that's happened between them. That her daughter hasn't made peace with her. And, that she fired the first shot. The shot that started the war. She hurt her daughter. But, now, she needs to turn this war into a temporary truce. She needs to turn the defiance into obedience, the resistance into cooperation. Because they won't win if Rachel fights her every step of the way to Nationals. They're trying to get ready for the biggest show choir competition and they can't even go one week without fighting. Yes, it's annoying and frustrating when Rachel picks fights with her. But, the disrespect also isn't helping anyone. No, it's hurting the team. The screaming matches are taking up valuable time. Time they should be using to practice. And, every time her students see Rachel challenge her authority, their own respect for her fades a bit. She had to do something to get Rachel to stand down. She knows what the dismissal will mean to Rachel. Nothing makes a singer more miserable than being silenced. As she watches Rachel walk away in surrender, she knows her daughter still hates her, probably now more than ever, but Rachel will block the fury directed at her from now on. Because, it's too important to Rachel to be the star of the Glee Club. And, Rachel can't shine if she's not in rehearsal.

For the last few hours of rehearsal, Shelby has the rest of the team practice _Everybody Wants To Rule The World_ and _Time Of Your Life_. They sound different without Rachel. Her voice is powerful. Even when everyone is singing, Rachel's strong voice can easily be heard and it's harder to hear the others' weaknesses. So, Shelby zeroes in on their weaknesses in Rachel's absence.

"You guys have about as much energy as the old people in nursing homes. You have to look like you're having fun! Noah, you look like you want to kill someone. Andrea, you look like you want someone to put you out of your misery. Kurt, you're expressionless. Take five and drink a Red Bull!" Shelby says.

The students hurry off stage. While the others get drinks, Puck and Kurt call Rachel to see if she's okay. They can only imagine what her reaction will be to getting kicked out of rehearsal. The one thing they know for sure is that it won't be pretty. When she doesn't pick up, they exchange a nervous look.

"She's probably going insane," Puck mutters.

"Going? She _is_ insane," Kurt says sarcastically.

"What do you think she's doing?" Puck asks.

"Relax. She's not jumping off a bridge if that's what you're asking. She loves herself too much for that," Kurt says.

"Screw this. I'm gonna go see if she's okay," Puck mutters.

Puck goes over to the table where Shelby and Jesse are sitting. Jesse raises his eyebrows in question.

"Yes, Puckerman?" Jesse says. The disdain is clear in his voice.

"I think I have the flu or something. So, uh, I'm gonna leave," Puck lies.

Shelby smirks at the obvious lie. It doesn't take a genius to know he wants to go after her daughter. She's about to deny permission for him to leave early, but Jesse beats her to it.

"You can't leave Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal for any reason," Jesse says, smirking.

Puck stares disbelieving at Jesse. "Come on. I'm freaking sick," Puck mutters.

"You're not sick, unless of course you mean lovesick," Jesse says.

"Damn it," Puck says. He thinks he muttered the words under his breath, but Shelby hears anyway.

"Watch your language," Shelby says sternly.

Rolling his eyes, an annoyed Puck walks back to the stage.

"I take it that didn't go well," Kurt says.

Puck just glares at him and shakes his head.

Kurt opens his mouth to say something, but before he can say anything, Shelby instructs them to take _Time Of Your Life_ from the top. As they sing, Shelby stops them to correct every mistake. Kurt still isn't getting the show face. Lauren is sharp in a few places. Giselle has no emotional depth. It's a bad rehearsal, and everyone's relieved when it's finally over. After the students leave, Shelby and Jesse go into her office to discuss the set list.

Today was Jesse's first day as co-director. He wanted to talk to Rachel, and he didn't get a chance. He's afraid she won't want to talk to him. But he's determined to get back on her good side. And he knows exactly how to do that.

"I think Rachel should do Celine Dion," Jesse says.

It doesn't escape Shelby that it's the exact song _Rachel_ thinks she should do. She looks up at Jesse and kinks her eyebrows. The look on her face tells him she knows exactly what he's up to.

"What?" Jesse asks. His tone is mock innocent.

Shelby stares at him disbelievingly.

Jesse's cheeks turn a little red and he looks down. "She was brilliant," Jesse says defensively.

"She sings all three of the songs perfectly," Shelby points out.

Jesse looks straight into her eyes. "Have you told her that?" Jesse says pointedly.

"I've told her that she's good," Shelby replies.

"Was that before or after you kicked her out of rehearsal?" Jesse says sarcastically.

Shelby closes her eyes and remembers the first, the only time she sang with her daughter. They had perfect harmony. _You are really, really good._ But then, they said a bittersweet goodbye. A mother walking away because she's not what her daughter needs, not her _mom_. A daughter that lived without a mom for fifteen years, and now has to live without her mom again. That moment is one of many that brought them to this point. Now, Shelby is only Rachel's coach, and Rachel doesn't even want her to be that. And Rachel's making damn sure everyone knows exactly how she feels. Everyone in the auditorium heard them get into a screaming match in the middle of rehearsal, saw that she didn't follow instructions.

"She had that coming," Shelby says firmly.

"I know, I know," Jesse says.

"What song do you think they should do for the group number?" Shelby asks.

"Green Day's _Time Of Your Life_. It has newfound popularity because of the groundbreaking musical _American Idiot_," Jesse replies.

"I agree," Shelby says.

As Shelby and Jesse discuss the set list, Puck races across town to Rachel's house. When Rachel got home, she was exhausted, emotionally and physically. She spent the drive home angry and confused, hurt and upset. She took a nap, and she only wakes up when she hears someone banging on her door. She opens the door and sees Puck.

"Noah? What are you doing here?" Rachel asks.

"I just wanted to see if you're okay. You weren't answering your phone," Puck replies. There's a hint of worry in his voice.

"I'm sorry. I was sleeping," Rachel explains.

She invites him in, and they sit down on the couch.

"Your mom was reaming me and you were sleeping? Damn. I should have gotten my ass thrown out of practice," Puck says.

Rachel looks down, embarrassed. "Does everyone know that she kicked me out?" Rachel asks.

Puck nods his head.

"This is humiliating!" Rachel cries out.

"No, it's not. It's kinda badass," Puck says.

"I'm sorry if I don't think it's impressive to be asked to leave a Glee rehearsal," Rachel mutters. "What did I miss?" Rachel asks.

"Your mom telling us how bad we suck," Puck replies.

"Is it wrong of me to be happy that you guys sucked without me?" Rachel asks.

Puck chuckles. "It's totally _you_ to feel like that," Puck replies.

"Maybe now she'll appreciate my talent," Rachel mutters.

Puck understands how she feels. For years, he hoped his dad would realize what he had back in Lima…a son, a family and come home. With every year, his hope faded a bit. Finally his hope turned into crushing disappointment. He doesn't want Rachel to get her hopes up that Shelby will have a sudden epiphany. Trying to find the least hurtful way to express his concern, he looks at Rachel. He sees the same hope reflected in Rachel's eyes that he used to have. He reaches for her hand.

"I don't know, Rachel. I used to think my dad would see how awesome I was, but now I know he never will," Puck says.

"You don't know that," Rachel protests.

"Yeah, I do. I haven't heard a word from him in years. He probably hasn't even thought about me since he took off," Puck says. The anger is clear in his voice.

Rachel holds his hand a little tighter, interlocking her fingers with his.

"Look, I'm telling you this because I don't want you to get hurt," Puck explains.

Rachel smiles a little and puts her head on his shoulder. She hasn't let him get this close to her, touch her, since prom night. Just when he thinks she's finally forgiven him, her words bring him back to reality. And the reality is that they're not together anymore. They're just friends.

"You're a good friend, Noah. Thank you for being here," Rachel says.

Hearing Rachel refer to him as a friend hurts. He tries to take a deep breath and inhales the familiar scent of her shampoo. He wants to kiss her, but he's afraid she'll push him away. He jumps back.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asks.

"Nothing. I, uh, gotta go," Puck mumbles.

He practically runs out of her house. Rachel frowns as she looks at the space he used to occupy. He didn't even bother to make up an excuse. He just left. It's pretty clear that he didn't want to be there. What's not clear is why. They were having a decent conversation. It was the first time they'd talked, really talked, since they broke up. When she hears the doorbell, her first thought is that he came back. A smile comes across her face as she goes to the door. But, when she opens the door, she sees that it's not Puck…it's Jesse. The visit is completely unexpected. She stares at him with wide eyes.

"Jesse? What are you doing here?" Rachel asks, shocked and confused.

"I came to talk to you," Jesse replies.

After a moment's hesitation, Rachel invites him in. They sit down in the same spot she and Puck were just sitting. Rachel is visibly uncomfortable.

"Look, I know I'm not your favorite person. What I did to you was awful," Jesse starts.

"I forgave you," Rachel reminds him.

"But I still hurt you. I know it's got to be hard for Shelby and me to be your coaches," Jesse says.

"It's harder than I thought it would be," Rachel admits.

Of course she knew it would be hard. Awkward. Uncomfortable. But she didn't think it would be _this_ hard. When Shelby agreed to coach Vocal Adrenaline, a few different scenarios ran through Rachel's head. In the worst-case scenario, Shelby would ignore her completely during rehearsal. After all, she didn't want to coach Rachel. So, she would coach the other students and pretend like Rachel wasn't even there. In another scenario, Shelby treated her just like everyone else. And, in the best-case scenario, Shelby would finally realize how amazing Rachel was. No, Rachel didn't actually expect that to happen. It was more of a distant fantasy. But, now, the worst-case scenario is looking better and better. Because, even in the worst-case scenario, Shelby never kicked her out of rehearsal.

Jesse looks straight into her eyes. "I only came back to help you win a National championship," Jesse assures her.

"I know. It's not like it was your idea to come back," Rachel says.

"I was going to work as a singing waiter this summer, but I'm better at show choir than food services," Jesse says.

"You are really good at show choir," Rachel says. It's a genuine compliment. She looks at him with part admiration, part respect. Maybe, she's even a little proud.

Jesse and Rachel are kindred spirits. She's basically the female version of him. The flair for the dramatic, the deep desire to be famous, the career goals, the taste in music…they're one and the same. And now, she's filling his shoes as the star of Vocal Adrenaline. He knows exactly how hard it can be to be in her shoes. After all, he was in her shoes for four years. He's been on the receiving end of harsh criticism from Shelby. He started his freshman year out thinking he was right and Shelby was wrong, and soon learned how to take constructive criticism to correct mistakes, fix imperfections. And now, he has the perfect opportunity to bond with Rachel.

"As amazing as I am, when I was on Vocal Adrenaline, Shelby critiqued my performances. I know what it feels like. Her criticism is blistering," Jesse says.

Shaking her head, Rachel stares at him in disbelief. In all the times she's seen Shelby and Jesse together, she has only ever seen Shelby act like Jesse is Mr. Perfect.

"You were her favorite student. She loves you," Rachel says.

Jesse nods his head. "And she was still critical of me. She wants perfection. Don't take it personally," Jesse says.

"Did she ever kick you out of rehearsal?" Rachel asks. Her tone is bitter. It's clear that she already knows the answer.

Jesse chuckles a little as he shakes his head. "But I listened to her," Jesse adds.

"Well, maybe I would listen to her if _she_ listened to _me_. I just want to be heard. I just want to feel appreciated," Rachel mutters.

"Look, she's a good coach. If you listen to her, you'll win," Jesse says with certainty.

"I'll do anything to win," Rachel says.

"You're so much like me. I've missed you, Rachel," Jesse says.

The truth is that she's missed him, too. She's missed spending hours chatting frivolously about music and Broadway. She's missed having someone that understands her without an explanation. Why she does what she does. Why she wants what she wants. Why she is the way she is.

"I've missed you, too," Rachel says. She hesitates for a moment. "Maybe we can be friends," Rachel adds.

Last time Jesse talked to Rachel, she said _we're not even friends_ and now somehow she wants to be friends. That's what he likes to call progress. He quickly agrees. Smiling wide, he leaves.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed. I decided to separate what I originally planned to cover in this chapter into two. I didn't want to keep you waiting for Shelby and Rachel's conversation, so I posted both chapters at the same time.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Rachel spends the night tossing and turning. She's dreading the morning. Because, when morning comes, she's going to have to humble herself with an apology. And morning comes too soon.

Rachel shows up early for rehearsal. She's so scared of how Shelby may react that she doesn't want to do this with an audience. No, she wants to do this alone.

Standing outside of Carmel High's auditorium, she tries to gather enough strength to face her mother. She takes a deep breath. She looks calm and confident when she walks through the door. But looks can be deceiving. Inside, she's a bundle of nerves. She sees Shelby turning the spotlights on and slowly walks over to her. Shelby looks up when she hears Rachel approaching. She waits for Rachel to speak.

"I'm sorry," Rachel says. The words taste bitter coming out of her mouth.

Shelby stares at Rachel for a few seconds. The apology is completely unexpected. But, she knows the remorse isn't genuine. Rachel's only sorry that Shelby sent her home. She's not sorry for the way she acted.

"You're not sorry. You just want to come back to rehearsal," Shelby says.

Rachel exhales deeply. She should have known Shelby wouldn't make this easy.

"You're right," Rachel admits. "I don't understand why I should listen to you when you won't listen to me," Rachel says.

Shelby crosses her arms over her chest and looks straight into her daughter's eyes. "Because I'm your coach," Shelby reminds her. It's not only a reminder of her job, but also that it's a position of authority. That she has authority over Rachel. That Rachel has to listen to her.

"You don't even want to be my coach!" Rachel cries out.

Rachel takes a deep breath and sighs. She didn't mean to raise her voice. She promised herself she wouldn't escalate things further. She doesn't want to do anything to get kicked out of rehearsal again no matter what Shelby does. She realizes she may not be able to contain her resentment. No one makes her blood boil as effortlessly as her mother.

Shelby is confused at first. _You don't even want to be my coach_. When Rachel asked her to coach Vocal Adrenaline, she agreed immediately. No hesitation. She doesn't understand how Rachel could think that.

"What?" Shelby asks, shocked and confused. "Rachel, I am your coach," Shelby says.

It's the second time Shelby's reminded Rachel that she's her coach. Rachel knows that, but she also knows Shelby doesn't want to be her coach. And, Shelby isn't accepting her apology or agreeing to listen. This conversation is getting them nowhere. So, Rachel comes up with a new plan: Shelby can coach everyone else, and Jesse can coach her.

"You've made it pretty clear that you don't want to be my coach. Maybe you can just pretend like I'm not here. You can-"

Her plan is interrupted when Shelby cuts her off. Shelby has been trying to understand why Rachel thinks she doesn't want to be her coach this whole time. The only reason she can come up with is that she sent Rachel home. _I don't want you here if you're not gonna listen to me._ Rachel only listened to half of what she said…_I don't want you here._ So, she reminds Rachel about what she said.

"I didn't send you home because I don't want to be your coach. I sent you home because I am your coach and you weren't listening to me," Shelby explains.

Rachel simply stares at her. The early dismissal wasn't the first hint that Shelby doesn't want to be her coach. It's just one of many. She scoffs at the explanation.

"I'm not an idiot. You _never_ wanted to be my coach. You declined my proposition to coach at McKinley. Obviously it wasn't because you didn't want to coach Glee anymore. I mean, you're coaching Vocal Adrenaline. Which you didn't even want me to be on. When you found out I transferred, you told me to go back to McKinley," Rachel snaps.

Horrified, Shelby's eyes widen in shock and her jaw drops a little. Does Rachel really think that? Rachel can't think that.

"Rachel, you don't understand," Shelby says. There's a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Oh, I understand more than you think I do!" Rachel yells.

"_You don't_. I really don't want to coach Glee anymore. I-"

Rachel quickly cuts her off.

"I can't listen to this right now," Rachel says.

Rachel starts to walk away, but Shelby stops her, grabbing her arm. Rachel yanks her arm out of Shelby's grip and takes a step back.

"Rachel, I think you need to hear this. Come talk to me in my office," Shelby says.

Shelby walks toward the door, but when she notices Rachel's not following, she turns around.

"Please," Shelby pleads.

On their way to her office, they pass Jesse in the hallway.

"We're going to be in my office for a while. I want them to practice _Time Of Your Life_," Shelby tells him.

Shelby unlocks her office door and waits for Rachel to step inside. Then, she closes the door behind her and sits down. A reluctant Rachel hesitates for a second before sitting down with her arms crossed across her chest.

"Look, I _really_ don't want to coach Glee anymore. Not at McKinley. Not at Carmel. I'm not interested in coaching your average Glee Club. I'm driven to excellence. Which means when I coach, I'm all business. I have no life. I'm truly tired of coaching. It was never, _never_ because I didn't want to coach you. I'm so sorry you thought that. I'm only coaching you guys right now because you _need_ a coach to go to Nationals. I don't want you to miss your chance to win a National championship," Shelby explains.

It takes Rachel a few seconds to decide if she believes Shelby or not. It's one of the few times she's seen her mother without a poker face. There's a hint of sadness in Shelby's eyes and a frown on her face. She looks and sounds sincere. But, if Shelby's reluctance to coach isn't about Rachel, then why is Shelby spending rehearsal making Rachel miserable?

"Why are you being so mean to me in rehearsal?" Rachel asks.

"I told you why I sent you home," Shelby replies.

"No, not just that. You won't listen to any of my ideas. You won't choose a song for my solo. My voice is never good enough for you," Rachel says.

"Those things aren't part of some plot to mess with you," Shelby says. Her tone is light. Teasing.

The teasing doesn't get a reaction out of Rachel. She sits there with a stoic expression on her face. She doesn't say anything.

"I always come up with ideas for Nationals the second we win Regionals. We have months to practice. This year we only have a month to get ready. I told you I didn't want to hear everyone's ideas because we didn't have time to do them all. If I would have listened to your ideas, I would have had to listen to everyone's ideas," Shelby explains.

"It's my solo," Rachel points out.

"Yes, but everyone's singing the group number, and they all would have had ideas for it," Shelby says.

Rachel remembers everyone in New Directions arguing before every competition. What songs to sing. Who got the solo. Who got the duet. They spent more time fighting than practicing. Maybe they would have won if Will hadn't allowed that.

"Mr. Schuester should have been more like you," Rachel says. She's talking to herself more than to her mother, but Shelby hears and takes it as a compliment.

It's the first time her daughter's said anything even remotely complimentary to her. Shelby can't help but smile.

"And I always have my performers learn a few different routines. I choose the best ones before the competition. If anyone does our songs, it's not a problem because we've rehearsed other songs," Shelby explains.

For the first time, Rachel feels guilty for how she behaved the day before. Shelby's coaching style isn't like Will's or even Dustin's. And Shelby's a better coach. Rachel didn't understand why Shelby was doing what she was doing. Now that she does, she realizes she was wrong. She looks down.

"You're a good coach. I should have listened to you. I'm sorry," Rachel says. It's the second apology in less than an hour. But, this time, it's genuine.

Shelby can see that Rachel's remorse is genuine. She smiles and nods in acceptance.

"I'm hard on my performers. I don't hand out compliments. You missed a note yesterday. It's the first mistake you've made in over a week. Everyone else has made a few. Your voice is better than good enough. It's extraordinary," Shelby says.

Coming from Shelby, the compliment is shocking. It's been a long time since her mother's actually said something nice to her. A smile comes across Rachel's face.

It's one of the few honest conversations they've had. They both feel lighter. Just a little. There are still unresolved issues weighing them down. Shelby's too afraid to say anything about the issues they're facing as mother and daughter. Those wounds are too deep to heal.

"You ready to go back to rehearsal?" Shelby asks.

"Yeah," Rachel replies.

Shelby sits down next Jesse, and Rachel joins her teammates on stage.

Knowing Rachel usually leaves conversations with her mother feeling like she's been run over by truck, Puck puts a hand on her shoulder. Rachel looks up at him. She's smiling a little.

"You okay?" Puck asks.

Rachel nods her head.

From his seat, Jesse watches Puck and Rachel. His hand tightens on his pencil.

"Okay, guys, I want to see _Time Of Your Life_, and I want it to be perfect! You can't learn the choreography until you're getting the vocals!" Shelby says.

By the end of the morning, they get a rare _good_ out of Shelby. Everyone takes a seat in the auditorium as Rachel sings _A New Day Has Come._

"That was brilliant," Jesse says.

Shelby turns to look at him with raised eyebrows. He's like her. He's a harsh critic. When he was on Vocal Adrenaline, he didn't hesitate to tell his teammates what they were doing wrong. Now that he's the co-director, he's gotten even more critical. He made Andrea cry earlier. A _good_ coming from Jesse is high praise. A _brilliant_ is unheard of. Feeling Shelby's eyes on him, Jesse stares straight ahead at the stage.

When it's clear Jesse won't look at her or explain himself, Shelby turns back to the stage. She sees Rachel standing out of the spotlight watching her and Jesse, waiting for instructions. Her mind tells her that Rachel may take her reaction the wrong way. After their conversation earlier, Shelby wants to make damn sure Rachel knows that she's good enough.

"That was good," Shelby quickly agrees. She stands up and looks at the students sitting behind her. "Take a lunch break. Be back in half an hour," Shelby says.

Shelby waits until the last student steps out the door and then turns to Jesse again.

"Do you still like her?" Shelby asks.

Jesse sighs. "It doesn't matter. She's with Puckerman," Jesse mutters.

Shelby gets upset for a moment for not even knowing if her daughter's dating Puck. She knows Rachel _was_ dating Puck. But, then, Rachel was sneaking around with Dustin. She hopes her daughter wasn't cheating on her boyfriend with her coach.

"I don't think they're together anymore," Shelby says.

Jesse leans forward, suddenly interested. "She's not his girlfriend?" Jesse asks.

Shelby shrugs. "I haven't seen her and Puck making out for a while," Shelby replies.

Jesse stares at her with raised eyebrows.

"Her locker is just outside my office," Shelby explains.

"Did they go to prom together?" Jesse asks.

Once more Shelby gets upset for not knowing. She should have been helping her daughter pick out a prom dress. That's what she'll do for Beth. Instead, she doesn't even know if her daughter went to prom.

"I don't know. She doesn't exactly talk to me about dating," Shelby says sarcastically. _Or anything_ Shelby adds silently. "Do you still like her?" Shelby asks.

"I love her," Jesse says.

If she has to choose between Jesse and Puck, she would choose Jesse any day. Jesse's a good kid. Puck's a juvenile delinquent. She smiles at Jesse.

Outside, Rachel and Puck sit with their backs against a tree trunk, their legs touching, and eat lunch.

"Why did you leave yesterday?" Rachel asks.

"I had things to do, people to see," Puck says.

Rachel wonders what that means. Why won't he tell her? What was he doing? Who was he with? She has so many questions.

"People? A girl? Have you moved on?" Rachel asks. There's a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Puck smirks a little. "Jealous?" Puck asks. His tone is playful.

"I'm not jealous!" Rachel says quickly.

"So you'd be cool with it if I'd moved on?" Puck asks.

"Have you?" Rachel demands.

Puck looks straight into her eyes. "No. I want to be with you. Not anyone else," Puck says.

There's a moment of silence. A part of Rachel wants to tell him she wants that, too. But, then she remembers that she can't trust him.

"You're sweet, but I can't trust you," Rachel says.

Puck's chin drops toward his chest. "Tell me what to do. Tell me how to prove that you can trust me," Puck pleads.

"I don't know," Rachel says.

They just sit there in silence until they see the rest of the team heading back into the auditorium. After Puck stands up, he grabs Rachel's hand and pulls her up.

Shelby and Jesse watch Puck and Rachel walk in together. They exchange a look.

Rachel takes her spot on stage. As she sings, Shelby and Jesse keep the compliments coming. Shelby sticks with _good_. Used to that word coming out of her mouth once in a blue moon, her students look at her like she's sprouted a second head. Jesse tells Rachel she's_ amazing_ and _brilliant_. Every time Rachel grins at him, Puck gives him a death stare.

When practice is over, Rachel grabs her bag and heads out to her car. She's unaware that there are two sets of eyes watching longingly as she walks out of the auditorium. She loved both of them once. But, one of them betrayed her with the one person that hates her more than anyone else. And the other chose a fourth trophy over her.


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed! This chapter is influenced by the Born This Way episode.

After an entire week of demanding all-day rehearsals, they're finally delivering perfect performances of _Time Of Your Life_ consistently. Perfect pitch. Perfect show faces. High energy. No mistakes. Not one. So, they're ready to learn the choreography. Shelby has long since decided not to hire Dakota. She doesn't want him anywhere near her daughter. She's perfectly capable of choreographing a routine. She has Jesse and Rachel come in over the weekend. She'll teach Jesse the steps for the males and Rachel the steps for the females. Then, they'll demonstrate the choreography on Monday. She knows none of the boys that are currently on Vocal Adrenaline are good enough to learn the steps quickly, and she doesn't want to spend her entire weekend working. It's also the perfect opportunity for Jesse to be alone with Rachel. In her years as coach, quite a number of students she's paired as dance partners became involved. They dance close physically, and often become close emotionally as well. Of course, she'll have to partner Rachel with a student come Monday, but Jesse and Rachel will have the weekend.

Rachel is the first one to get to the auditorium on Saturday morning. She's used to getting up early to work out on the elliptical. The auditorium is locked, so she sits in front of it with her back against the wall. While she waits, she listens to music on her iPod. She's surprised that her mother asked _her_ to come in when there are other girls on Vocal Adrenaline that are just as good, if not better, dancers. Shelby could have asked Lauren or Haylee instead of Rachel. Shelby had plenty of opportunities to avoid spending time with her estranged daughter, and she didn't take any of them. No, she actually chose to spend time with Rachel. It's a first.

Shelby is running a few minutes late. She had breakfast with Beth. Then, she had to get herself and the baby ready. She managed to get Beth dressed, but she was still wearing the t-shirt and sweatpants she slept in when the nanny rang the doorbell. She quickly changed and hurried to Carmel High. As she walks in, Rachel stands up and puts her iPod back in her bag.

"Sorry I'm late. Where's Jesse?" Shelby asks.

"It's okay. He's not here yet," Rachel says.

Shelby unlocks the door, and Rachel follows her into the auditorium. As Shelby turns the lights on, Rachel stretches out on the stage. Shelby watches as she does the splits.

"You're flexible," Shelby observes.

Shelby's voice startles Rachel. She didn't know her mother was watching her.

"I've been taking ballet and jazz classes forever," Rachel says.

"Why didn't you feature hard choreography in your performances with New Directions?" Shelby asks.

"Mike and Brittany are really good dancers. Kurt's good. He's just never taken classes. But no one else can do hard choreography. And Finn can't dance," Rachel explains.

Shelby can only imagine Dakota's reaction to New Directions and lets out a cackle.

"What?" Rachel asks, confused.

"I can't believe you guys hired Dakota," Shelby says. There's laughter in her voice.

The answer only confuses Rachel more.

"How'd you know about that?" Rachel asks.

Shelby's smirk fades a bit. "Um, I heard Kurt talking about it when he was in class," Shelby replies.

"Why was he talking about that?" Rachel wonders. "Dakota didn't even last a day," Rachel says more to herself than to Shelby.

"That's actually why he was talking about it. No one understood why he was being so mean to you. Kurt said it was because you fired him," Shelby explains.

"Oh. It was kind of weird. He was mean to me, and then he wasn't. I think Noah may have threatened him," Rachel says.

Shelby doesn't need a thank you from her daughter. That's not why she did what she did. Her intentions were pure. She only wanted to protect her daughter. She would be content to let her actions remain unknown. But, Puck getting the credit for something she did is too much for her. So, she quickly corrects Rachel.

"Noah didn't do anything," Shelby scoffs.

Perplexed, Rachel is confused at first. How could Shelby be so confident that Puck didn't do anything? Unless...she could only know if _she's_ the one that got Dakota to leave her alone. But, why would she do that? They were barely speaking at the time.

"You?" Rachel asks. It's the only word she can muster up.

Shelby nods in confirmation. She waits anxiously for Rachel's reaction. She hasn't forgotten how reluctant her daughter's been to accept her help in the past. Rachel would have spent the night in jail before she would have called Shelby for help. She knows Rachel wouldn't have wanted her help with Dakota.

"But why? I don't understand," Rachel says.

Confusion is better than anger. But, now Shelby's bewildered. Her intentions are as clear as they could be. Dakota was hurting her daughter, and it was more than she was prepared to allow.

"What?" Shelby asks.

"I mean, why did you do that?" Rachel asks. "We were hardly even speaking when Dakota was teaching us the choreography for Regionals," Rachel reminds her.

"He can't speak to you like that," Shelby says. There's a hint of anger in her voice as she remembers the vicious insults.

It's still not clear to Rachel where the sudden concern came from.

"He's mean to everyone," Rachel points out.

"He was worse to you," Shelby says. _And you're my daughter_ Shelby adds silently.

"I can take it," Rachel says.

"You shouldn't have to," Shelby says.

"Is that why you're not hiring him to choreograph the routine for Nationals?" Rachel asks.

Shelby nods her head.

"You should hire him," Rachel says.

Shelby shakes her head. "There's no way in hell I'm hiring him," Shelby says.

"It's okay. Really. I know you don't want to be here all the time. If you hire Dakota, you won't have to be," Rachel insists.

"It's only for a few weeks," Shelby says.

"He's the best choreographer in the Midwest. You shouldn't let the way he treated me get in the way of winning," Rachel says.

"We can win with my choreography," Shelby says.

Their conversation comes to an end when Jesse walks into the auditorium carrying a tray of drinks and a bag from the coffee shop.

"I know, I know. I'm late. But I come bearing gifts," Jesse says.

He hands Shelby a black coffee and tells her that he doesn't know how she takes her coffee, but he put some sugar packets in the bag if she wants them. Then, he hands Rachel her usual drink.

"Green tea," Jesse says.

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise and she smiles a little. "You remember my favorite drink?" Rachel asks.

"I remember everything about you, Rachel," Jesse says.

Rachel sips her drink and eats a bagel while Jesse stretches out on the stage floor. When he stands up, she joins him center stage. Shelby stands a few feet in front of them. As Shelby marks the choreography slowly, Rachel copies the moves. When Rachel has it, Shelby watches Jesse and Rachel do the routine full out.

The choreography is somehow slow and beautiful, yet demanding and punishing. When they sing "_Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go_," Jesse spins Rachel. After the spin, they bring their arms up and clap their hands together twice. During "_It's something unpredictable,_" one of the boys that has been in gymnastics for years will do a back flip in front of the others. By "_So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind_," Jesse lifts Rachel. He holds her in the air for a few seconds. As he brings her down, her hands travel down his body and she slides into the splits. She turns onto her knees and quickly gets up. Jesse spins her again and again during the chorus.

As they practice again and again, they move in perfect synchronization. Their movements look natural. Rachel is at ease in Jesse's arms. He lifts her easily, like she's weightless. They both have real smiles on their faces. Shelby can tell they're having fun together. After a few hours of practice, Shelby thinks they're prepared to teach the routine to the others on Monday.

"Good, guys!" Shelby says.

Smiling wide, Rachel looks up at Jesse. He lets his arms travel down and tighten around her waist.

"Okay. You guys can take off now," Shelby tells them.

On Monday, the students sit in the first few rows of the auditorium and watch as Rachel and Jesse dance. From his seat, Puck scowls and his hands ball into fists. He knows Rachel and Jesse are just dancing, but he hates seeing Rachel in Jesse's arms. After they watch the dance, everyone joins Rachel and Jesse on stage. Rachel and Jesse mark the choreography slowly, and the others copy their movements. When they're ready to do it full out, Shelby partners every girl with a boy.

"Rachel and Michael," Shelby says.

"What the hell?" Puck demands. "Rachel and I kicked ass at Regionals! It just proved that we're awesome together!" Puck yells.

Shelby ignores Puck and continues listing partners.

"Giselle and Noah," Shelby says.

Rachel purses her lips into a full pout as Giselle joins Puck. Of all the girls in Vocal Adrenaline, it just had to be Giselle. Giselle reminds her of Santana. Giselle looks a little too happy about this and stands a little too close to Puck.

Once they're all with their partners, Shelby starts counting the music.

"And five, six, seven eight…" Shelby counts out.

It only takes a few seconds for things to go horribly wrong. Instead of watching what she's doing, Rachel is watching Giselle. She's afraid that Giselle will make a move on Puck. No, Rachel doesn't trust Puck. And, because of that, she can't be with him. But that doesn't mean she wants him to be with anyone else. She's so focused on Giselle that she doesn't even see a hand coming straight at her nose. As the awkward, gangly freshman on her right side brings his arms up to clap, he hits her nose and knocks her down to the stage floor. She brings her hands to her nose.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" The boy says quickly.

A few steps bring Puck close enough to help Rachel up.

"Are you okay?" Puck asks.

"I'm bleeding," Rachel cries out.

Both Shelby and Jesse hurry over to her. As Jesse steps closer to Rachel, Puck takes a step forward and puts himself in between Rachel and Jesse.

"Can I see?" Shelby asks.

Rachel slowly drops her hands to her sides. She's bleeding and her nose is already swollen.

"I think it's broken. I need to get you to the hospital," Shelby says.

Shelby tells Jesse not to let the others leave rehearsal until they know the choreography. Then, she and Rachel go out to the parking lot and get in her car. On the way to the hospital, Rachel calls her dads. From Rachel's side of the conversation, Shelby can tell her dads are meeting them at the hospital. Shelby exhales deeply. She would have been perfectly happy if she never saw Hiram and Leroy Berry again. When Rachel gets off the phone, Shelby turns to look at her. It looks like her nose is even more swollen than it was a few minutes ago.

"How do you feel?" Shelby asks.

"Awful," Rachel replies.

"There's aspirin in my purse. Take some. It'll help," Shelby says.

"That's not why I feel awful. I mean, my nose hurts, but I'm more concerned with Nationals. I should be practicing instead of wasting time going to the hospital. I've never broken anything before. Doesn't it take weeks to heal? Nationals is only a few weeks away!" Rachel cries out. She's getting even more agitated by the minute.

"You know the choreography. It'll take everyone else a few days to learn it. Not all of them are dancers. You won't miss anything," Shelby assures her.

Shelby's words have a calming effect on Rachel. She relaxes back into her seat for the rest of the ride to the hospital. After a short wait, a nurse calls Rachel's name. Rachel and Shelby follow her back. She stops outside of a room.

"Mom can wait here. We just need X-rays to see if it's broken," the nurse says.

Shelby doesn't know if she should let it go or correct the nurse. She is Rachel's mother, but Rachel's real parents will be there soon. They're the ones that will make any medical decisions. Not her. A frown comes across her face.

Rachel looks at Shelby to see her reaction. Shelby is visibly uncomfortable. Rachel's face drops and she stares at the tile floor.

"She's…not my mom. She's my Glee coach," Rachel mumbles.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You look a lot like her," the nurse says, embarrassed.

_She's not my mom_. Shelby knows she's Rachel's mother, but she's not her mom. _She_ told _Rachel_ she wasn't her mom. So, why does it hurt so much to hear the same exact words come out of her daughter's mouth? While the nurse takes X-rays, Shelby leans against the wall and takes a deep breath. She's not here as Rachel's parent. She's here as Rachel's coach. That's it.

After she takes X-rays, the nurse takes Rachel and Shelby to an exam room to wait for the doctor.

Rachel's emotions are chaos. Her mother's reaction when the nurse referred to her as Rachel's mom opened the wounds of the past. She pushes her own pain aside and focuses on her dads. She wants to protect them from the hurt of seeing her with Shelby.

"My dads will be here soon. You don't have to stay," Rachel says.

Shelby would like nothing more than to get out of there before Rachel's dads show up, but she can't leave Rachel alone. She wouldn't leave any other student alone in a hospital. She's not going to do that to Rachel.

"Rachel, you got hurt when you were at rehearsal on school grounds and I'm your coach. I need to stay," Shelby says.

Before Rachel can argue, the door opens and the doctor steps in with her X-rays.

"It's broken. It's a clean break, so I won't have to set it. Considering your deviated septum, I'd consider this a terrific opportunity for a little vanity adjustment," the doctor tells them.

It's at that moment that Shelby realizes she can't be just Rachel's coach. Not when a doctor suggests that her sixteen year old daughter get a nose job. Not when her daughter has _her_ nose. The change in her mindset from coach to mother is instant. She tilts her head slightly and gives the doctor her most brutal stare.

"Excuse me?" Shelby says. There's an edge to her voice.

Shocked, Rachel stares at the doctor with wide eyes and parted lips. "Are you suggesting that I get a nose job?" Rachel asks.

"You're sixteen, right?" The doctor asks.

Rachel nods her head.

"That's when I gave my daughters theirs. It's like a rite of passage for Jewish girls," the doctor says.

"Okay, first of all, I like how I look. And, second of all, I don't want to do anything that's gonna affect my voice. My Broadway career depends on it," Rachel says.

When she hears her daughter's response, Shelby is a little relieved and a whole lot proud. She can't help but be amused that Rachel's main concern is for her voice.

"Doesn't impact the voice. That's just a myth. The fact is opening up that septum might allow you to take in more air per breath, which means bigger belts on your high notes," the doctor explains.

Shelby can't believe this doctor. He's got a lot of nerve. He's basically trying to convince a teenager to get a nose job. Even after Rachel told him that she's happy with how she looks. Exactly what part of Rachel's response didn't he understand? Shelby doesn't even try to block her fury.

"She can get all the high notes right now. She doesn't need a nose job to help her. Your suggestion is unprofessional and unethical. I want a different doctor," Shelby snaps.

As Shelby yells at the doctor, a nurse brings Hiram and Leroy back to the room. They get there just in time to hear her demand another doctor. They're visibly irritated by Shelby's presence, but their feelings take a backseat to concern for their daughter.

"What's wrong? Why does she need a different doctor? Does she need a specialist or something?" Hiram asks.

"I don't _need_ another doctor. Shelby's just upset because he thinks I should get a nose job," Rachel replies.

"Her nose is broken. I just, uh, told her that this might be a good opportunity to repair her deviated septum," the doctor explains.

Frowning in concern, Leroy looks at Rachel. He knows his daughter well enough to know she won't want to do anything that could affect her voice.

"But, your voice?" Leroy says.

"The doctor said it could possibly improve my talent. I'm considering having the surgery," Rachel says.

Shelby does a double take on _"I'm considering having the surgery."_ How did Rachel go from being happy with how she looks to considering plastic surgery in less than five minutes? Rachel's done a complete 180.

"I've got an appointment open next week. Can I sign you up?" The doctor asks.

"We need to think about this," Hiram replies.

"I agree," Leroy says, nodding his head.

"Okay, uh, I'll go get her discharge papers," the doctor says.

After the doctor steps out of the room, Rachel turns to her dads. She knows what she wants to do. She knew the second the doctor said it could help her sing better.

"We don't need to think about this. I've made up my mind. I want to get a nose job," Rachel says.

It infuriates Shelby that the doctor managed to change Rachel's mind. She takes a deep breath to calm down. When she's calm, she takes a step closer to Rachel and looks into her daughter's eyes.

"I really think you'll regret it if you do this," Shelby says.

"I'm happy with my decision," Rachel says.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Leroy asks.

"I'm sure," Rachel replies.

"Okay," Hiram says.

When the doctor returns with Rachel's discharge papers, Leroy schedules an appointment for Rachel. Shelby stares at him in shock and disbelief. She wonders what kind of parents let a sixteen year old make a decision about having plastic surgery without even taking the time to think about it and make sure it's what she really wants.

"You can't be serious. She didn't even think about it," Shelby mutters.

Hiram turns to face Shelby. His eyes are cold. He can't believe Shelby thinks she has the right to participate in the decision. They've been making decisions for Rachel for fifteen years. They'll make this one without Shelby's help.

"Thank you for bringing her to the hospital. You can go now that we're here," Hiram says. He doesn't raise his voice, but that doesn't lessen the power and fury of his words.

Shelby swallows. That's it. She can't stop her daughter no matter how much she wants to. The only people that can stop her clearly have no intention of stopping her.

As Shelby leaves the hospital, she decides that this isn't over. She still has a week to find a way to convince Rachel not to go through with the surgery. And, she starts the next day at rehearsal.

As soon as Rachel walks into Carmel High's auditorium, the boy that hit her apologizes profusely and asks if she's okay.

"It's not as bad as it looks. The doctor suggested a minor procedure that will repair my deviated septum," Rachel says.

Rachel's news gets mixed reactions from the other teenagers. While most of the boys look horrified, a lot of the girls start listing off things they wish they could change about their own appearance. Shelby quickly ends the conversation by starting rehearsal.

As Vocal Adrenaline practices the dance with Jesse, Shelby takes Rachel to the choir room to practice her solo. Shelby has no intention of practicing Rachel's solo. It's just an excuse to talk to Rachel alone. Shelby has Rachel sing _A New Day Has Come_ a few times. And then, she tells Rachel to sit down for a few minutes and rest. When Rachel sits down next to her, Shelby turns to face her.

"Why do you want to get a nose job?" Shelby asks.

"It could improve my talent," Rachel replies.

Shelby looks straight into Rachel's eyes because she needs Rachel to really hear her. "You're extraordinarily talented," Shelby says.

"I know I'm talented, but I don't know if I'm good enough to make it as an actress. I mean, you're really good and you didn't make it," Rachel says.

Rachel sees a flash of pain in Shelby's eyes and immediately regrets her words.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Rachel says quickly.

"No, it's okay. I didn't make it as an actress, but it's not because of my nose," Shelby says.

"Why didn't you make it?" Rachel asks.

There's a moment of silence as Shelby looks down, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. She sees flashes of her younger self, alone in a studio apartment in New York, missing the baby she never even got to hold. She didn't…no, couldn't sleep more than a few hours a night. It was like she couldn't turn her thoughts off and sleep peacefully. Her thoughts were always about her daughter. She replayed the second that Rachel turned her little head and looked at her a million times in her head. Shelby Corcoran never cries, but she cried tears over the baby she would never know. She hadn't been truly happy since she gave birth. After sleepless nights, she went to auditions exhausted. Her eyes were bloodshot. She had no energy, no passion. And the directors could tell. She had perfect pitch, but she didn't have that spark. That's why she didn't make it as an actress. And, it's the last thing she wants her daughter to hear. Ordinarily she would never tell Rachel. Sharing will be painful. For Shelby and Rachel. But, if it will convince Rachel not to get a nose job, Shelby knows she has to share. When she looks up, she avoids eye contact with Rachel.

"I had a hard time after you were born. I didn't get to hold you. I only saw you for a second. I didn't even know you, but I missed you. I felt awful. I couldn't sleep well. I was always tired. I was a mess. And the directors could see that when I auditioned," Shelby explains.

After she answers Rachel's question, Shelby turns to her daughter. Rachel's looking down and Shelby can tell she feels guilty. Shelby was afraid this might happen.

"It's because of me," Rachel says. Her voice is soft. If it were any softer, Shelby wouldn't be able to hear her.

Shelby cups Rachel's cheek and waits for her daughter to make eye contact.

"Rachel, no. Don't think for one second that it's because of you. It's because of my decision," Shelby says firmly.

Shelby doesn't want Rachel to blame herself. She's never blamed her daughter for her failures. Shelby made a choice…no, a mistake when she signed that contract. The burden of the mistake is hers to bear.

"You would have made it if you hadn't been a surrogate," Rachel says.

"I wouldn't have had enough money to live in New York and audition if I hadn't been a surrogate," Shelby corrects.

"Why didn't your parents help you?" Rachel asks.

"They died when I was eighteen," Shelby replies.

In all the time Rachel's known Shelby, she has never once mentioned her family. It's now clear to Rachel why. Rachel is sixteen. She'll be eighteen soon, and she can't imagine being alone. Her dads have always been there for her. She knows they'll help her find an apartment in New York and move in. She wouldn't even know where to start if she had to do it alone. She's overwhelmed with sorrow as she thinks about Shelby being alone in the world at eighteen.

"I'm sorry. No one should be alone," Rachel says.

Shelby sees pure sorrow in Rachel's eyes and feels a stab of guilt. She didn't want to make her daughter feel bad. She just wanted Rachel to know the real reason she didn't make it as an actress.

"I shouldn't have told you that. I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you feel bad. I just…want you to think about it before you have this surgery. You are really, really talented. You can make it as an actress. You don't need to do this to make it," Shelby says. There's a slight crack in her voice.

"No. Thank you for telling me," Rachel says quickly. She looks and sounds genuinely grateful.

Rachel is starting to see Shelby as a person. Not just a coach or an estranged mother. And, the more she gets to know about Shelby, the more Shelby surprises her with who she really is. The Shelby Corcoran that Rachel met last year is not exactly the same woman that sits next to her now. Instead of closing herself off, she's opening up. Instead of unbreakable, she's fragile. She's still tough as nails, but she's also exposed.

"Will you think about it before you do this? I mean, _really _think about it. For me?" Shelby asks.

"I _did_ think about it. I don't see why I wouldn't do it. Maybe I can make it as an actress if I don't do this. Maybe I can't. No one knows. But the surgery can't hurt my voice and it might help. I would do anything to be a star," Rachel replies.

"God, you're just like I was," Shelby says. Her tone is exasperated. She's a little amused and a whole lot frustrated with Rachel.

Rachel smiles a little. "Is that so bad?" Rachel asks.

"I've done so many things that I shouldn't have done…that I regret. I don't want you to do something you'll regret later," Shelby replies.

There's so much Shelby would do differently when it comes to Rachel. But, there are no second chances. No do-overs. Just infinite regret.

"I won't regret it," Rachel says with certainty.

Shelby sighs slowly. She opened up to her daughter. She shared her secrets. Admitted to her mistakes. And it doesn't matter. Nothing she said changed Rachel's mind. It seems there's no stopping Rachel.

"I hope you're right," Shelby mutters. The doubt is clear in her voice.

Puck is the next in line to try to change Rachel's mind. When they take a break, he corners her by the vending machines.

"You're hot, but that's not why I like you. I like your confidence. You're cool with how you look, and you know you kick ass on stage," Puck says. "Why are you doing this?" Puck demands.

"This isn't about being hot or being confident. It's about conquering destiny," Rachel replies.

"This is just about being able to breathe better for singing? It's not about looking hot?" Puck asks disbelieving.

"I'm happy with way I look. I would never change my appearance for vanity," Rachel replies. Her tone is defensive.

"Why change it at all? You can breathe okay. You're an awesome singer. Your nose has been passed down from generation to generation as a birthright. It's a sign of the survival of our people," Puck says.

"This has nothing to do with our religion. It's my nose, and it's my decision," Rachel says firmly.

That's the end of the conversation for Rachel. Final word said. She's already made up her mind. Not wanting to hear the protest that dies on Puck's lips, she walks away.

On her way back into the auditorium, she runs into Jesse. He takes one look at her and knows something is bothering her. He's always been able to read her like an open book.

"What's wrong?" Jesse asks.

"I'm tired of people lecturing me about my nose," Rachel mutters.

"I get it," Jesse says.

Rachel narrows her eyes suspiciously. He's the first person that hasn't tried to change her mind.

"The doctor told you it could improve your talent. You would do anything to be famous. I know. So would I," Jesse says.

She smiles at his understanding. She remembers that she's with maybe the only other person that would go to such great lengths to be a star. This is what she needs. Someone who understands. She steps forward until she's just in front of him and hugs him tightly.

"Thank you," Rachel murmurs.

It's a simple thank you. For understanding. For not being just another person to lecture her. For accepting her for who she is, accepting her decision.

Looking down at her, a wide smile comes across his face. He remembers the last time her warm body pressed against him, the last time he kissed her. His eyes darken with desire. Rachel knows that look. She's seen that familiar, determined look many times before. She's not surprised when he leans down to kiss her firmly. It only takes a few seconds for her to kiss him back.

And, that's exactly how Puck finds them when he returns to the auditorium. The initial shock of seeing the girl he loves making out with the boy that egged her slowly turns into fury.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"What the fuck?" Puck yells. His voice is so loud that it carries into the auditorium.

When she hears Puck's voice, Rachel quickly pulls away from Jesse. She sees hurt and anger in Puck's eyes. After prom night, she wanted him to make him feel the hurt and anger that she was feeling. Since then, her anger has faded. She's still hurt. But now, she doesn't want to hurt Puck. She can clearly see that she did.

Since she's completely focused on Puck, Rachel doesn't notice the flash of pain in Jesse's eyes. Less than a minute ago, Rachel was kissing him back. Now, suddenly she's acting like she's cheating on her boyfriend and they just got caught in the act. But, Puck isn't her boyfriend anymore. Puck doesn't have a reason to be angry. If anything, _Jesse_ should be angry. Puck just ruined a good moment that was between Jesse and Rachel. Jesse doesn't want them to see how hurt he is. So, he smirks at Puck.

"It's none of YB. Your business. This isn't your girlfriend," Jesse says.

Puck takes an aggressive step forward, his hands ball into fists. It takes everything he's got not to wipe that smirk off Jesse's face. He gives Jesse a death stare.

"She's not your girlfriend either," Puck says. His voice is low and dangerous. It's almost a growl.

"Not yet, but she will be soon," Jesse continues taunting Puck.

Puck grabs Jesse by the collar of his shirt with both hands. Rachel tries unsuccessfully to push them apart. And, that's how Shelby finds them when she hurries out to the hall after hearing Puck yell.

Shelby doesn't even have to think about it. She just grabs Rachel's arm and pulls her back a step. She doesn't want Rachel anywhere near Puck and Jesse. Not when they look like they're about to kill each other. It's natural. She acts on instinct to get her daughter out of harm's way.

As soon as Rachel's out of the way, Jesse shoves Puck back a few feet.

"Don't touch me!" Jesse yells.

As Jesse smoothes his shirt, a concerned Shelby looks at him.

"Are you okay?" Shelby asks.

"I'm fine," Jesse replies.

As Jesse assures Shelby that he's perfectly fine, Puck turns to face Rachel.

"Are you guys getting back together?" Puck asks. There's a hint of hope in his eyes. Hope that she'll deny it.

"I don't know," Rachel replies.

Her answer only infuriates Puck further. He doesn't understand how she can forgive Jesse, but she can't forgive him. And, she's forgiven Finn for more than Jesse and Puck combined. Puck practically begged for forgiveness. Why doesn't he get a second chance?

"You can't be serious! You need professional help! You're a masochist! You have a thing for assholes that treat you like crap!" Puck yells.

Puck's raised voice gets Shelby's attention. She quickly steps in between Puck and Rachel. She gives Puck her most brutal stare and then turns around to look at Rachel.

"Rachel, get in the auditorium," Shelby says sternly.

When Rachel doesn't move, Shelby puts her hand on Rachel's back and pushes her lightly in the direction of the auditorium. Rachel slowly walks into the auditorium. When the door closes behind Rachel, Shelby turns around to face Puck.

"Go home," Shelby orders.

"You're throwing me out?" Puck snickers. "Are you throwing him out, too?" Puck demands, nodding in Jesse's direction.

Shelby raises her eyebrows in disbelief. "_You_ got physical with _him_," Shelby says.

Yes, he grabbed Jesse, but he didn't even throw a punch. And then, Jesse shoved him. It wasn't even a real fight. Shelby saw the scene unfold.

Puck shakes his head. "That's bullshit. You just don't want me to talk to your daughter," Puck mutters.

Of course she doesn't want him talking to Rachel. She can't believe that he spoke to Rachel like that. It's not okay. She's grateful for an excuse to send him home. She knows she can't keep him away from Rachel forever, but hopefully he'll have time to calm down before he talks to Rachel again.

"You're lucky I'm only sending you home. You might want to get out of here before I change my mind and kick you off the team," Shelby says. Her tone is threatening.

Puck can't get kicked off the team. These rehearsals give him a window opportunity to get back on Rachel's good side. Right now, she has to spend time with him because they're both on Vocal Adrenaline. And, if she still hasn't forgiven him by the time they go to New York, the trip might be just the opportunity he needs. Rachel will be in a good mood when they're in New York. So, Puck leaves before Shelby makes good on her threat.

Shelby looks at Jesse with raised eyebrows. "What happened?" Shelby asks.

"I kissed her," Jesse replies. A wide, almost giddy smile comes across his face.

"And Noah saw you guys," Shelby deduces.

Jesse's smile quickly turns into a frown. "He ruined the moment," Jesse mutters, frustrated.

"Clearly," Shelby says. There's a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

Jesse is mildly irritated that Puck interrupted them, but he's more perturbed by Rachel's reaction. It's clear she didn't want Puck to see them. Jesse looks down as he remembers the concerned look on Rachel's face when she saw Puck.

"She didn't want to hurt him. She still has feelings for him," Jesse says.

Shelby sighs. She doesn't know what her daughter sees in Puck. She didn't think Rachel could do any worse than him. Rachel proved her wrong when she fooled around with Dustin.

"She has awful taste in men," Shelby says.

"Hey!" Jesse protests. He looks mock offended.

"Present company excluded," Shelby adds.

Inside the auditorium, Rachel sits down next to Kurt. She doesn't know what to do. She has two boys fighting over her, and she has feelings for both of them. She needs someone to talk to. But, as soon as she sits down, Kurt says what he's wanted to say since that morning.

"You can't get a nose job," Kurt says. His tone is disapproving.

Rachel ignores him.

"I kissed Jesse," Rachel blurts out.

Kurt gasps. "You kissed St. Jerk?" Kurt asks.

"Jesse," Rachel corrects.

"Are you guys getting back together?" Kurt asks.

"I don't know," Rachel replies.

"Do you _want_ to get back together with him?" Kurt asks.

"I don't know! I never got over Jesse. Not completely. I really loved him. But I'm in love with Noah," Rachel says.

"You have to choose," Kurt tells her.

"I don't know how to choose," Rachel says.

"We need to look at both of your options. I know why you and Jesse broke up. You never told me why you broke up with Puck," Kurt says.

Rachel didn't tell anyone except Dustin what happened on prom night. She remembers all-too-well that New Directions took Finn's side when the truth came out about him and Santana. She didn't want that to happen again. But, Kurt can't help her if he doesn't know the whole truth.

"After prom, Noah got a hotel room. I wasn't ready…" Rachel trails off. She doesn't have to finish that sentence for Kurt to know what she means.

"He broke up with you because you wouldn't have sex with him?" Kurt asks. His tone is angry and disgusted.

"No. I broke up with him because he was sexting Santana when I was in the bathroom," Rachel says.

"On prom night?" Kurt gasps. "Rachel, it's been over a month since prom," Kurt says. His tone is disapproving. "Why am I only hearing about this now?" Kurt demands.

"When I found out about Finn and Santana, almost everyone was on Finn's side. I was afraid everyone would take Noah's side," Rachel explains.

"I wouldn't have," Kurt tells her.

"Thank you, Kurt," Rachel says.

"Okay. So you're choosing between someone that egged you and someone that cheated on you?" Kurt says. There's a hint of contempt in his voice.

"Noah didn't cheat on me. He said he didn't have sex with Santana while we were together, and I believe him," Rachel corrects.

"Whatever. You're choosing between the lesser of two evils," Kurt says.

When he puts it that way, it doesn't sound good. Maybe Puck was right. Rachel sighs slowly. Before they can finish their conversation, Shelby and Jesse return. Rachel immediately notices that Puck isn't with them. As Shelby gives Vocal Adrenaline instructions, Kurt leans closer to Rachel.

"We _will_ finish this conversation later," Kurt says firmly. He lowers his voice, but Shelby hears anyway.

Shelby glares at Kurt and Rachel. "I don't appreciate my students talking when I'm talking," Shelby snaps.

Knowing they won't get a chance to talk during rehearsal, Rachel and Kurt agree to go to the coffee shop after rehearsal. But, when rehearsal is over, Shelby tells Rachel to stay behind. Kurt says he'll wait for her at the coffee shop.

Shelby already knows what happened, but she wants to talk to Rachel about it. She's more than a little concerned about what she interrupted in the hall. She doesn't know what would have happened if she hadn't been there. It's not just the fight she stopped before it even got started that's worrying her. It's how Puck spoke to Rachel. Raised voice. Swearing. Cruel words.

"What happened?" Shelby asks.

Rachel knows exactly what Shelby's asking her. And the last thing she wants to do is answer.

"Nothing," Rachel mumbles.

Shelby sighs in frustration. She hoped Rachel would open up to her, but didn't expect Rachel to admit to her feelings. They may have had a few good conversations, but they're nowhere near having an easy relationship where they can talk about anything.

"It didn't look like nothing," Shelby says. She looks straight into her daughter's eyes.

Rachel quickly averts her eyes. It's clear Shelby's not going to back down until she gets some answers. Rachel will have to give her more than _nothing_, but she won't reveal more than Shelby already knows.

"Noah saw Jesse and me together. He was angry. You got there before things got out of hand," Rachel says. She shrugs as if to say _it's-not-a-big-deal_.

"No, I didn't. Things were already out of hand when I got there," Shelby quickly corrects. "It looked like Noah was going to hit Jesse," Shelby says.

Shelby is right and Rachel doesn't want to admit it. So, Rachel remains silent.

"I can't believe you let Noah speak to you like that," Shelby says. Her tone is disapproving.

_You're a masochist…you have a thing for assholes that treat you like crap._ Yes, Puck's words were hurtful. But, there was a grain of truth in them. Kurt basically said the same thing. He just worded it differently. _So you're choosing between someone that egged you and someone that cheated on you… you're choosing between the lesser of two evils._ No, they're not evil. Rachel can see the good in them, but she's also seen the bad firsthand.

"He was right," Rachel says.

Shelby's stare is knowing, unyielding. Her eyes bore into her daughter's. "Only if he was talking about himself," Shelby says. Her voice is strong. She speaks with conviction.

"He's _not_ an…asshole," Rachel argues. She hesitates before repeating the word Puck used earlier. She can't remember the last time she cursed. She tries not to.

Shelby doesn't know how Rachel can defend him after the scene she witnessed in the hall. She stares at Rachel with raised eyebrows.

"He's not. He has this bad boy image, but that's not who he is. He has a good heart," Rachel insists.

"Then why did you break up with him?" Shelby asks. Her tone is challenging.

Rachel avoids the question. Instead of answering, she reminds her mother that she doesn't know what happened between her and Puck.

"Maybe _he_ broke up with _me_," Rachel says.

"Please, he wouldn't have been that angry when he saw you with Jesse if he broke up with you," Shelby scoffs.

"Okay. I broke up with him," Rachel admits.

"Why?" Shelby asks. "If he has such a good heart," Shelby says sarcastically.

Shaking her head, Rachel looks down. She can't tell Shelby what happened. No sixteen year old wants to tell her mother what happened between her and her boyfriend in a hotel room on prom night. And, Shelby's no ordinary mother. Rachel also has to remember that Shelby is the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, and Puck is on Vocal Adrenaline. Shelby has made it clear that she doesn't like Puck. Rachel doesn't need to give her another reason to hate him.

"I don't really feel comfortable talking to you about this," Rachel says.

Shelby doesn't let Rachel see how much her words hurt. A part of her wants to back down. She doesn't want to do or say anything to disturb the peace. She doesn't want this to turn into yet another screaming match. They've finally taken a step forward. She doesn't want to take two steps back in her fragile relationship with her daughter. But, after what she saw earlier, she knows she has to push Rachel on this. She thought she saw Puck at his worst. Now, she needs to know how much worse it can get.

"It can't be that bad. Come on! I saw what happened earlier. Is it worse than that?" Shelby says.

Rachel wonders if she should let Shelby assume the worst or tell her what really happened. She doesn't understand Shelby. But, she knows that, even if Shelby's her mother and not her mom, Shelby is protective. Shelby wrote the best choreographer in the Midwest off completely because he was mean to Rachel. Rachel is unwilling to subject Puck to a furious Shelby Corcoran.

"If I tell you, you can't do anything about it. You have to promise to leave him alone," Rachel says.

Rachel's hesitancy only adds to Shelby's fears. A hundred scenarios run through Shelby's head, each worse than the last. She lets out a low growl in frustration.

"What did he do?" Shelby demands.

"Promise," Rachel insists.

"Fine," Shelby mutters. The impatience is clear in her voice.

Even as she promises, she knows she will break it if Puck hurt her daughter.

Rachel avoids eye contact as she tells her mother what happened on prom night. "After prom, Noah got a…hotel room. I, um, wasn't ready. I said no, and then I went into the bathroom. When I came out, I found out that he'd been sexting Santana," Rachel says.

Shelby breathes a sigh of relief. Her relief is twofold. Honestly, she thought Rachel and Puck were having sex. Puck is clearly not a virgin. She's not surprised that he got a hotel room. She's pleasantly surprised that Rachel said no. And, the worst-case scenario she imagined just a few minutes ago had Puck grabbing Rachel in a fit of rage like he grabbed Jesse earlier. Exchanging not-so-innocent text messages with someone else isn't that serious of an offense. Of course she's a little upset that the text messages brought Rachel pain. But, most of all, she's relieved.

After a moment of silence, Shelby realizes Rachel is waiting for a response. And she doesn't know what to say. She's only known Rachel for a little over a year. During most of that time, they weren't speaking. She's not comfortable giving Rachel a sex talk, and Rachel just told her that she's not having sex anyway. So, Shelby moves on to the last thing Rachel said.

"So you were his girlfriend and he was sexting someone else, and then you broke up, and now he's angry because he saw you with Jesse?" Shelby asks. Her tone in unimpressed, disapproving. "I don't understand why you're so concerned with his feelings," Shelby says.

"He really wants to get back together. He was hurt when he saw Jesse and me together. I didn't want to hurt him," Rachel explains.

"Do you want to get back together with him?" Shelby asks. She hopes Rachel says no.

"I don't know," Rachel replies.

"I think you need to take a little breather," Shelby tells her.

"Maybe you're right," Rachel says.

"I usually am," Shelby says. Her tone is light and playful. Her faint smile turns into a wide smile when she sees a grin on her daughter's face.

"Thank you," Rachel says.

When she sees the puzzled look on Shelby's face, Rachel elaborates.

"For the advice," Rachel adds.

Shelby smiles and nods her head.

Rachel started out not even wanting to tell her mother what happened, and ended up getting good advice. Kurt's a good friend, but he's not the best person to give relationship advice. Blaine is Kurt's first boyfriend, and their relationship isn't that serious. They've only kissed. They haven't said _I-love-you_. And, if she told her dads what she just told Shelby, they would never let her anywhere near Puck again. No one could have given her better advice than Shelby. After everything that's happened between them…despite everything that's happened between them, they can have a normal conversation about boys.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed! Many of you are asking for Jesse/Rachel. I like Jesse, and I like Jesse/Rachel, but I don't think I write Jesse very well. I have no intention of making him a jerk. He will end up being Rachel's friend. Rachel is going to end up with Puck in this story. In the next chapter, you'll see why Puck reacted the way he did. I promise he had his reasons. He'll redeem himself.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed! A warning: this is the longest chapter so far.

When Shelby told her to stay behind, Rachel thought she wanted a quick word about rehearsal. She didn't think it would turn into a long conversation about her relationship with Puck. She's grateful for Shelby's advice, but she's also in a hurry to meet Kurt. The whole time she's been talking to Shelby, Kurt's been waiting for her at the coffee shop. So, she hurries out of Carmel High and heads to her car. But, it looks like Shelby isn't the only one that will delay her departure. Jesse is lounging on the hood of her Prius, waiting for her.

"Jesse, what are you doing?" Rachel asks.

"Waiting for you," Jesse replies.

He stands up and takes a step toward her.

"Why?" Rachel asks.

"We should talk about what happened," Jesse replies.

"About the kiss," Rachel deduces.

Jesse nods his head.

"It was nice, but we can't get back together," Rachel says. She lets him down as gently as she possibly can.

Jesse half-expected this. He knows she still has feelings for Puck. He told Shelby as much. But, being prepared for the worst doesn't make it hurt any less. He winces before putting a show face on. He's never been her first choice. Last year, he was her rebound from Finn. This year, he's her rebound from Puck. The funny thing is that she's his first choice. Yes, last year, he chose a fourth National championship over her. And, he realized right away that it was a bad choice. He already had a wall filled with trophies; he didn't need another one. But, there is only one Rachel. There's no one else like her. And she's perfect for him. She's his soul mate. He can see them ten years from now. They would be a power couple. He would originate the male lead in a groundbreaking Broadway musical, and she would have her dream role in the Broadway revival of _Funny Girl_. They would live in a penthouse in New York. Her life with Puck would be very different. He's the perfect example of a Lima Loser. Poor. Bad grades. Unmotivated. He won't get into college. He won't get out of Ohio.

"You're getting back together with Puck," Jesse mutters.

Rachel shakes her head. "No. I care about both of you, but I can't be with either of you," Rachel says.

The _no_ comes quick. Sure. There's no hesitation. It gives Jesse hope. Just a little bit. She's not getting back together with Puck. No, she's not getting back together with Jesse either. At least not yet.

"Who do you care about more?" Jesse asks.

Rachel sighs. That's the question, but she doesn't have an answer. She has so much in common with Jesse. They can talk for hours. He understands her. But, are they too similar? He chose a fourth National championship over her. And, if the roles were reversed, she would have done the same thing. She thinks Puck would choose her. Puck is nothing if not loyal. He's always there when she needs him. He's the only person that defended her when New Directions was attacking her in the green room before Sectionals. Even Finn remained silent. At the time, she was dating Finn. Not Puck. Yes, he's always there when she needs him. But, will he ever be only hers? Or, will he always have a girl on the side to satisfy his needs?

"I don't know, and if I was with either of you when I don't know, it wouldn't be fair to you or me," Rachel replies.

Jesse looks straight into her eyes, and she feels like he can see right through her.

"You may not know, but I do. We belong together. We share the same dreams, the same destiny. When you figure out what you want, I'll be here," Jesse says. He's calm and collected. It's like he's stating facts, not trying to convince her. There's a confidence to his stand.

After he gets the last word in, he turns around and walks away, leaving her alone outside. She just stands there staring at the entrance to Carmel High that Jesse disappeared into for a moment before she gets in her car and drives to the coffee shop. She spots a bored Kurt sitting at a table, looking at his watch pointedly.

"_Finally_," Kurt says. "What did Mommie Dearest want?" Kurt asks.

Hearing him refer to Shelby as _Mommie Dearest_, Rachel feels the need to defend Shelby. She doesn't know where the sudden feeling comes from. After all, not too long ago, she would have agreed with his assessment.

"I know she's not always the nicest person, but she's not this awful person either. She was pretty awesome today. I didn't know how to choose between Noah and Jesse, and she helped me figure out what to do," Rachel says. Her tone is defensive.

"Let me guess. She told you to choose Jesse? I'm not saying she doesn't want to help you, but she's a little biased," Kurt says sarcastically. The doubt is clear in his voice.

"She said I should take a little breather, and I think she's absolutely right," Rachel says.

There's a hint of surprise in Kurt's eyes. "So you're not choosing either of them?" Kurt deduces.

Rachel nods in confirmation.

"You should go out with one of the Warblers. They all dress well and have impeccable grooming, but Blaine's the only one that likes boys. We could double date," Kurt says.

"Thanks, but I don't need any boys or any distractions. I need to focus on Nationals," Rachel says.

"I can't believe we're going to New York in two weeks," Kurt murmurs.

At the mention of New York, an excited grin comes across Kurt's face. In his excitement, he completely forgets to convince Rachel not to get a nose job. Instead, they talk about everything they want to do in New York. Rachel lists all the shows currently running, and Kurt lists all the shops he wants to hit. An hour later, they say goodbye and get in their cars to go home. When Rachel turns onto her street, she sees Puck's truck parked in front of her house. As she parks in her driveway, Puck steps out of his truck and goes to meet her.

"Hi," Rachel says.

She knows what he's doing there. She doesn't have to ask. And, she knows how this conversation will end. He'll get hurt. She doesn't want to hurt him. She doesn't want to hurt anyone.

"Hey. I'm sorry about what I said," Puck says.

"You were right," Rachel says.

A wide-eyed Puck stares at her. Yes, he was right. But, he didn't expect her to admit it.

"Yeah," Puck says. "So what were you doing kissing that punk?" Puck asks.

Rachel can't believe he thinks he has the right to ask her for an explanation. She didn't want him to see that kiss. She didn't want to hurt him. But, she doesn't owe him an explanation. They weren't together when she kissed Jesse because of what _Puck_ did.

"What I do and who I do it with stopped being your business when you sent those text messages to Santana," Rachel says.

"Are you serious right now?" Puck asks incredulously. "Just last week _you_ were asking _me_ if I'd moved on," Puck reminds her.

Rachel knows what he's talking about. Shelby kicked her out of practice, and Puck went straight to her house after practice. They were talking, and then he left suddenly. When she asked him why he left, he wouldn't share his reasons. She wondered if he left her in such a hurry because there was another girl. He accused her of being jealous. She denied it, but she _was_ jealous. Before jealousy brought out the worst in her, he told her that there wasn't anyone else. _I want to be with you. Not anyone else._ He gave her answers. The least she can do is return the favor. She sighs and averts her eyes.

"Jesse kissed me, but we're not getting back together," Rachel says.

"So what? You were just trying to make me jealous?" Puck asks.

"No! I didn't want you to see us. I didn't want you to get hurt," Rachel cries out.

"I've been killing myself trying to prove that you can trust me. I haven't been with anyone since we broke up," Puck mutters.

There's a hint of surprise in Rachel's eyes. "Really?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah, but I can't take it anymore. So, tell me what I have to do to get back together with you," Puck says.

He has a determined look on his face. If Rachel would just tell him what to do, he would do it. There's nothing he wouldn't do for her.

"I'm sorry, Noah, but I can't get back together with you," Rachel says.

"Look, I messed up. I own that. I don't get how you can forgive Finn and Jesse for so much, but you can't forgive me for a couple of text messages?" Puck mutters. His disdain for Finn and Jesse is clear.

"I forgave you a long time ago, but I don't trust you," Rachel replies.

"I'm out. What's the point in trying to get with you when you're never going to trust me?" Puck says. His tone is defeated.

The anger is clearly written on Puck's face. Rachel knows that underneath the anger is hurt. Puck just shakes his head, and then turns around and starts walking toward his truck, but Rachel's voice stops him.

"Noah, wait! We can still be friends, right?" Rachel pleads.

"Whatever," Puck mutters.

He doesn't turn around to face her. The one word answer is all he's willing to give her. She gave him mixed signals. One minute she was jealous at the mere thought that he moved on, and the next she was kissing Jesse. She gave him false hope. She made it clear that she still cared about him. He thought that if he could just prove that she could trust him, they'd get back together. The whole time they've been broken up, he hasn't so much as looked at another girl. Seeing her kiss Jesse was like a sucker punch.

The last time he tried this hard to prove himself was when Quinn was pregnant. He thought if he could just convince her that he would be there for her and the baby, he would get the chance to know his daughter. So, he gave her money for the medical bills, babysat with her, thought of names. And, it was all for nothing. Even after everything he did, she gave his daughter to Rachel's mom. Now, he has the familiar feeling that all hope is lost. He can keep trying, but Rachel is never going to trust him again.

Over the next few days, Puck rarely talks to Rachel. She says hi, and he quickly makes an excuse to leave. He doesn't eat lunch with her. He eats with the guys on Vocal Adrenaline. The guys he's never forgiven for TPing McKinley's choir room and egging Rachel. If he would rather eat with _them_ than _her_, he must really want nothing to do with her.

And then, on Friday, he eats lunch with Giselle. Sitting with Kurt, Rachel watches as Giselle flirts with Puck. Giselle flips her hair back. The look on her face is suggestive. Something Puck says makes her giggle. Rachel notices every little thing that Giselle does and watches Puck's reactions. As Rachel watches, she tells herself that she has no right to be jealous. But, she is jealous.

"Stop staring," Kurt says.

It doesn't even look like she heard him. So, he waves his hand up and down in front of Rachel's face to get her attention. She shakes her head and turns to face him.

"What?" Rachel asks.

"Stop staring," Kurt says again.

Rachel's cheeks turn red. "Sorry," Rachel mutters.

"I don't care, but I don't think you want him to see you staring," Kurt says.

"Do you think he likes her?" Rachel asks.

Kurt looks at Puck and Giselle for a moment. "No. I think she's flirting with him because she knows it will drive you insane," Kurt replies.

"She's so much like Santana," Rachel says.

After lunch, they go back into the auditorium. In the mornings, they usually practice the choreography. Rachel hasn't been joining them because her nose is still healing. It doesn't hurt anymore, but it isn't healed completely. So, she sits in the front row and watches or goes to the choir room to practice her solo. In the afternoons, they usually sing. They spend half the time on the group number, and half the time on the solo. Rachel stands center stage and waits for Shelby to give them instructions.

They haven't been singing while they dance. Shelby wanted them to learn the choreography first, and then put the routine and the vocals together. This morning was the first time that they all seemed to know the choreography.

"Okay, guys. Now let's try the choreography with the vocals," Shelby says.

Rachel hesitates for a moment before standing next to Michael. He's been taking turns dancing with another boy's partner since Rachel is his partner. Shelby sees her and frowns. Rachel is still wearing a bandage on her nose.

"Rachel, you can't dance," Shelby reminds her.

"It's fine," Rachel replies.

"Your nose is still healing. I don't want you dancing as long as you're wearing a bandage," Shelby says.

Rachel will be wearing a bandage a while. Her appointment with the plastic surgeon is next week, and she'll have to wear a bandage after the surgery. Shelby knows this. Rachel wonders if this is a new plan to stop her from getting a nose job. She narrows her eyes suspiciously.

"Well, I'm going to be wearing a bandage for a while. I'm having surgery next week. The doctor only said I have to stay away from vigorous choreography while my nose heals. and it feels better," Rachel says.

Shelby was so upset that Rachel is getting a nose job that she didn't even think about what that would mean for Vocal Adrenaline. She just thought about what it would mean for her daughter. Now, she realizes for the first time that Rachel won't be able to do the choreography at Nationals. She knows that as her _mother_, she _can't_ stop Rachel. But, maybe, as her _coach_ she _can_. Or, she can at least delay reality. It will give Rachel time to think before she goes through with the surgery.

"As I said, I don't want you dancing as long as you're wearing a bandage. If you want to dance, you should reschedule your appointment for after Nationals," Shelby says.

That confirms Rachel's suspicions. Shelby basically just threatened her. If she gets a nose job, she can't practice for Nationals. And, that makes her mad. It doesn't help that she's already agitated because Giselle flirted shamelessly with Puck. She takes a couple of steps forward to stand in front of the other teenagers and just stares at Shelby. Shelby meets Rachel's eyes. They stand there just like that for what feels like forever. It's like they think the first to blink loses.

The other teenagers can't help but be amused by the silent battle of wills. In this moment, even a perfect stranger that didn't know either of them would know that Shelby and Rachel are mother and daughter. It would be impossible to witness this scene and not know. Rachel is the mirror image of Shelby. The determined look on her face, the unblinking eyes, the arms crossed in front of her chest…it's Shelby.

After a minute that passes incredibly slowly, Shelby realizes her daughter isn't going to back down. The stare down could last forever. So, she finally breaks the silence.

"Rachel, you need to sit down until it's time to practice your solo," Shelby says. Her tone is stern. She doesn't raise her voice, but there's an edge to her voice.

Shelby had the exact same harsh tone just before she kicked Rachel out of rehearsal. Rachel realizes she has no choice. It's Shelby's way or the highway. So, she walks down the stairs. But, she doesn't sit down in her usual seat per Shelby's order. She walks right past Shelby and out the door. It's the perfect storm out.

Shelby stares in shock at the door Rachel just disappeared behind. Everyone knows that they can't leave Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals for any reason. And, until this moment, no one has if they can possibly help it. Because, if they do, they know they'll get their ass handed to them the moment they return. Only Kurt and Puck are unsurprised.

Shelby is calm and collected when she turns to face her students. She acts like nothing happened. She watches the first attempt at putting the choreography and vocals together. She and Jesse make corrections. Confident that Jesse knows what mistakes to look for, Shelby goes after Rachel.

First, she looks in the choir room. That's where she thought Rachel would go, but the room is empty. Then, she looks in the bathroom. Empty. She makes her way through the hallways, keeping an eye out for Rachel. Rachel is nowhere to be found.

Shelby wonders if Rachel really left. She goes outside to see if Rachel's car is there. Squinting at the parking lot, she spots the gold Prius. It sticks out like a sore thumb next to all the black SUVs. Her eyes scan the courtyard and find Rachel sitting under a tree, her cell phone to her ear. Rachel called the doctor's office to reschedule her appointment for after Nationals. She tells herself that she's _rescheduling_. Not _cancelling_. Shelby may have won the battle, but she hasn't won the war. She's been on hold since she stormed out of the auditorium. Shelby walks over to the tree. Standing tall before Rachel, she tilts her head to the right and gives her daughter a disapproving look. The look is enough for Rachel to hang up the phone.

"When I told you to sit down until it was time to practice your solo, I meant for you to sit down _in the auditorium_," Shelby says. She's calm, yet stern.

Shelby is determined to stay calm. She's not going to yell at Rachel. Not this time. Screaming matches never get them anywhere. And, she feels like they finally were getting somewhere. For a while, Rachel was _really_ listening to her. She's had a few decent conversations with her daughter. Rachel even talked to her about boys. Shelby doesn't want this to derail their progress. She doesn't even know what _this_ really is. She just reminded Rachel that she couldn't dance while her nose is healing. That's all. It's not even coming from _her_. It's what the _doctor_ ordered. Rachel's reaction was completely unexpected.

"I don't see why I should stay in the auditorium when you won't even let me practice," Rachel mutters.

"I said you can't _dance_," Shelby corrects. She gives Rachel the familiar, disapproving look. "You can sing, and we are going to practice your solo in a little while. Besides, this is a Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal, and you're on Vocal Adrenaline, which means you need to be in rehearsal unless you're excused. And you are _not_ excused from this rehearsal," Shelby says. She has the same calm, yet stern tone that she had before.

Whether it's Will Schuester giving someone else the solo or Shelby stopping her from dancing, Rachel Berry has never reacted well when she doesn't get to perform. The only reason she didn't react this way from the start is because they were learning choreography that she already knew. When she stormed out of New Directions' rehearsals, Will usually just let her go. He knew she would come back after she cooled down. She should have known Shelby wouldn't let her go. Rachel stands up somewhat reluctantly. She avoids making eye contact with Shelby.

"I'll go back to rehearsal," Rachel mumbles.

She starts to walk toward the school, but Shelby's voice stops her.

"Wait. This conversation is not over," Shelby says.

Rachel slowly turns around and looks at Shelby.

"Your behavior was completely unprofessional. You're going to stay after rehearsal. Clean the mirrors in the dressing rooms, mop the stage floor," Shelby says.

There are a few things Rachel wants to say. That Shelby's behavior was just as unprofessional. Using, or rather abusing, her powers as coach to try to stop Rachel from getting a nose job. But, Rachel's afraid that if she doesn't listen now, Shelby will send her home. Again. It's one thing for Rachel to storm out of rehearsal of her own free will. It's another entirely for her coach to kick her out. So, Rachel nods in acceptance of her pseudo punishment.

Shelby is more than a little surprised that Rachel doesn't try to get out of it. Shelby has only punished her daughter once before. It was when she sent Rachel home from rehearsal. And, Rachel didn't accept it lying down. Shelby wonders what this calm acceptance means. Maybe, somehow, she's earned her daughter's respect.

Shelby walks toward the school, and Rachel follows her lead. When they step into the auditorium, Shelby looks directly at Rachel and then looks at Rachel's usual seat pointedly. She doesn't have to say anything. Rachel takes her seat.

The rest of rehearsal goes smoothly. After rehearsal, Shelby leaves Rachel to clean under Jesse's supervision. Instead of supervising, Jesse volunteers to help. Rachel can't help but laugh at the sight of Jesse St. James with a mop.

"What?" Jesse asks.

"Have you ever even _seen_ a mop before?" Rachel wonders. There's laughter in her voice.

Jesse nods his head.

Rachel stares at him disbelieving. "Jesse, I've been in your house. You have a maid," Rachel reminds him.

"I've never mopped my parents' floors, but I've mopped this stage," Jesse clarifies.

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. She has a hard time imagining Shelby punishing Jesse.

"What did you do? I mean, why did Shelby make you do this?" Rachel asks.

"I skipped her class a couple of times. This is her version of going soft on you when you mess up," Jesse replies.

Rachel stares at Jesse with raised eyebrows. "I'd hate to see her version of being hard on you," Rachel says.

"The angriest I've ever seen her was at Nationals last year. After we won, we threw a party in the hotel room. We were too scared to do anything like that before, but we were seniors, you know. We didn't think she could do anything," Jesse starts.

"And she did?" Rachel asks.

"Not that night. We thought we were going to get away with it. And then, the next morning, she woke us up at 6:00 am. She made us go outside and run. We were all hungover. Most of us were throwing up when she finally let us stop," Jesse replies.

"I guess we won't be having a victory party this year," Rachel says.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Jesse says sarcastically. "What would Mr. Schue do if you guys had a party?" Jesse asks. He has an amused look on his face.

For two people with the same job, Will Schuester and Shelby Corcoran couldn't be more different.

"He would just lecture us," Rachel replies.

Jesse looks at Rachel with a straight face and does his best impression of Will Schuester. He shakes his head and then looks at Rachel with a frown on his face. "I'm really disappointed in you guys," Jesse says.

Rachel snickers at the impression. "That's good," Rachel says.

"Well, Brittany sure seemed to think I looked like him," Jesse reminds her.

"I can't believe she thought you were his son!" Rachel says.

"I know. I'm much better looking and my talent is clearly superior," Jesse says.

When the floor is clean, they go back to the dressing rooms. Rachel takes the girls' dressing room, and Jesse tackles the boys' dressing room. It takes them about an hour to finish the chores. Rachel waits for Jesse to turn the lights off and lock up the auditorium, and they walk out to the parking lot together.

As Rachel gets in her car, she pulls her cell phone out of her bag. She still needs to reschedule that doctor's appointment for after Nationals. A look at the clock tells her the doctor's office is closed. It's almost 7:00 pm. She decides to leave a message.

When she opens her phone, she sees a missed text message from Michael. He's having a party. She remembers her trip to jail and starts typing out an excuse, but stops suddenly. She got arrested because it was _her_ party. This time it's _Michael's _party. And, this might be just what she needs after a bad day. So, she calls Kurt to see if he wants to go together. Kurt offers to drive, and they arrange a time for him to pick her up.

Rachel eats dinner with her dads. After dinner, she takes a quick shower and gets ready. Kurt tells her not-so-politely that she's not allowed in his car in what she's wearing, so she goes back inside to change. She comes out wearing a black sundress with white polka dots on it. As soon as she gets in the car, he locks the doors, turns the volume down on the radio and turns to look at her with a serious expression that makes her nervous.

"What?" Rachel asks.

"I can't believe you're still getting a nose job," Kurt says. His tone is disapproving.

The incident at rehearsal reminded him that he'd been meaning to convince her not to get a nose job.

"It's my nose," Rachel says, rolling her eyes.

"What would your idol say?" Kurt asks.

"Barbra is one in a million," Rachel says. Her tone is dismissive.

"You used to think you were one in a million," Kurt reminds her.

Rachel looks down and smiles a little.

"Don't listen to me. Listen to Barbra Streisand. She said, and I quote, I arrived in Hollywood without having my nose fixed, my teeth capped, or my name changed. That is very gratifying to me," Kurt says.

And then, he turns the volume on the radio up. It only takes Rachel a second to register the song playing as _Funny Girl_.

When they get to Michael's house, the party is already in full swing. There's nowhere to park outside of his house, so Kurt parks down the block. They can hear hip hop music blaring before they even step foot in the house. There's a line for the keg. There's a group at the kitchen table playing some kind of card game. There's a group in the living room dancing. As they take a couple of steps into the house, Rachel spots Puck. And, what she sees freezes her. He's looking down with a wide grin on his face as Giselle grinds against him on the pseudo dance floor. It pains Rachel to watch them, but she can't stop. She can't look away. Kurt follows her gaze and sighs.

"Come on. I think you need a drink," Kurt says.

Rachel just nods.

After a few drinks, Rachel is drunk. She doesn't know how long she's been at the party. She _does_ know that Giselle has been dancing with Puck the whole time. Rachel wonders if they'll have sex tonight. They probably will. That's what people do at parties, right? Get drunk and have sex. The thought bothers her. She finds Michael sipping a beer and grabs his hand.

"There's my dance partner! Let's show them how it's done," Rachel says. Her voice is louder than normal.

Michael looks amused. He lets her pull him to the living room. She doesn't look at Puck. She won't. She focuses on Michael. She presses her body against Michael's and swivels her hips in perfect time with the music. She's putting on a show for Puck. Pure jealousy drives her. Well, that, and alcohol. She doesn't know why she's doing what she's doing. _She_ broke up with _Puck_. _She_ told _Puck_ that they couldn't get back together. She knows she has no right to be jealous. But, she can't help how she feels.

Puck knows exactly what Rachel is doing. After all, Rachel used _him_ to make _Finn_ jealous. Now, she's using _Michael_ to make _him_ jealous. And, it's working. He's jealous and angry. And worried. From the way she looks, it's clear she's drunk. Michael leans in and says something to her. She smiles slowly and nods. They make their way off the dance floor and head toward the stairs. As Rachel stumbles on the first step, Michael puts his arm around her waist to steady her.

There's only one reason people go upstairs at a party…to get a room. Rachel wouldn't even have sex with Puck, and they were together for a month. Puck knows she wouldn't be going upstairs with Michael if she weren't completely drunk. He wonders if he should interfere. Looking at Rachel disappearing up the stairs, he knows he has to.

Puck catches up with them at the top of the stairs. When Michael sees him, he lets his arm drop from Rachel's waist and takes a step back. Without his help, Rachel stumbles forward. Puck quickly grabs her waist.

"Rachel, come on. I'll take you home," Puck says.

Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest. She presses her lips together in a full pout. "I'm not ready to go home yet!" Rachel says.

"Just come with me! You're freaking wasted!" Puck says, frustrated.

Michael has been watching quietly. He takes a step forward.

"Dude, you heard her. She's not ready to go home yet," Michael says.

Puck narrows his eyes. "I can take her home, or I can beat your face in," Puck says. His tone is threatening.

Michael steps back, holding his hands up in defeat. But, it seems Rachel isn't ready to admit defeat.

"As I said, I'm not ready to go home yet. Now if you'll excuse me, Michael and I are going somewhere quiet to talk," Rachel says. She slurs her words.

Puck remembers the night he had sex with Quinn. He knew she was drunk. He said they should go somewhere quiet to talk. He didn't have any intention of talking. Somehow, he doesn't think Michael has talking on the mind either.

"Yeah, that's how I got Quinn pregnant," Puck mutters.

"I'm not Quinn," Rachel snaps.

She starts to walk away, but Puck gets in her way. She tries to push past him and runs into the wall. She'll have a bruise on her arm in the morning.

"And you don't wanna be in her situation," Puck says.

"All I want is for you to leave me alone!" Rachel yells. She stamps her foot.

"That sucks for you," Puck says.

In one swift motion, he slings her over his shoulder. As he walks downstairs, she pounds her fists on his back.

"Let me go, you Neanderthal!" Rachel yells.

Puck makes his way out of the house carrying her. He manages to unlock his car, open the passenger door, and put Rachel down, and then takes his seat behind the wheel. As he starts driving, Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest and looks away. After a few minutes of silence, Puck looks at her. Her eyes are closed, her head is leaning slightly to the side, and she let her arms drop to her sides. She's passed out.

Still in Michael's neighborhood, Puck stops at a four way stop sign. There's another car coming toward them, but it hasn't reached the stop sign yet. It's Puck's turn. He moves his right foot from the brake to the gas pedal. All of a sudden, he hears the crunching of metal as the other car crashes into the right side of his car. He turns to Rachel with a blanched face. There are a few cuts on her face and she's bleeding. Her eyes are still closed. He doesn't know if she's passed out drunk, or unconscious.

"Rachel! Rachel! Come on, Rachel!" Puck yells. Every time he calls her name, his voice gets louder and more panicked.

Driving on the same road just a few minutes behind them, Lauren, Andrea and Haylee watch in horror as the scene unfolds. As soon as Haylee recovers from the initial shock, she calls 911 to report the accident.

In Puck's car, Rachel doesn't open her eyes. She doesn't move. And she doesn't respond. Puck jumps out of the car. He tries to open the passenger door, but the door won't open. So, he goes back around to his side and pulls her out. He just stands there, holding her bridal style.

**A/N:** This chapter sets up the next chain of events in this story. There's a reason why I wrote the car accident. I have no intention of seriously injuring or killing Rachel. Oh, and Puck was _not_ drinking. Also, I know Shelby only made a brief appearance in this chapter. The next few chapters will focus on Shelby. Many of you are asking for Shelby to find out that Jesse egged Rachel. She will find out…probably in the next chapter. Again, thank you to everyone that reviewed.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

By the time Rachel is in the back of the ambulance, on the way to the hospital, everyone on Vocal Adrenaline knows what happened. They were all either at the party, or leaving the party when it happened. All weekend, they expect to hear that practice is cancelled on Monday. On Monday, they check their phones before they leave for Carmel High, half-expecting to have messages telling them that practice is cancelled. Then, they expect to find a note on the auditorium door. They do _not_ expect to walk into the auditorium and find Shelby and Jesse sitting at the desk, waiting for them. Not when Rachel is in the hospital. Surprised and confused, they slowly make their way to the stage.

Shelby stands up and takes a step forward. Her eyes scan the stage, and she notes that Rachel and Puck aren't there yet. A look at her watch tells her that they should have been there almost five minutes ago. The annoyance is clearly written on her face when she looks at her students.

"Has anyone heard from Rachel or Noah?" Shelby asks.

That's when it dawns on the stunned teenagers that Shelby doesn't know. They exchange looks of shock and horror. All of them avoid eye contact with Shelby. It becomes clear to her that they know something she doesn't. And, whatever it is, they don't want to tell her.

"What?" Shelby demands.

Haylee sighs slowly. "Um, Ms. Corcoran, Rachel…" Haylee trails off.

She doesn't know how to tell a mother that her daughter is in the hospital. That her daughter's been in the hospital for the last two days. Haylee's only eighteen! She shouldn't have to deliver the bad news. Surely Rachel's dads or Rachel's doctor would be a better messenger.

"Rachel _what_?" Shelby asks.

"Maybe you should sit down," Haylee suggests.

Knowing she probably isn't going to like whatever it is Haylee's about to tell her, Shelby exhales deeply.

"Just tell me," Shelby orders.

Haylee looks at her teammates helplessly. She sees the same helplessness reflected in their eyes. She takes a deep breath and looks at Shelby.

"Rachel's in the hospital," Haylee says.

At first, Shelby thinks she must have heard wrong. One look at the anxious look on Haylee's face tells her that she heard right. She has so many questions. Why didn't anyone tell her? What happened? And, of course, the only question that really matters right now…is Rachel okay? She can't seem to muster up the words to ask. She's afraid of what the answer would be if she could.

From his seat at the desk, Jesse is visibly upset. When it's clear Shelby won't, or can't, ask the question that's on both of their minds, he steps in.

"Is she okay?" Jesse asks.

As the only person that has visited Rachel, Kurt volunteers an answer.

"She's, um, in a coma," Kurt replies.

Shelby quickly gets up and starts walking to the door. She gets in her car. With a trembling hand, she turns the key in the ignition. She knows she probably shouldn't be driving right now. But, she has to see her daughter.

It's like a cold fear consumes her. There's no room for other emotions. If there was, she might be angry that no one bothered to tell her that her daughter was in the hospital. Or, she might be embarrassed that she had to hear it from her students. Those emotions are buried at the bottom of the ocean. Agonizing worry rises to the top and engulfs her.

As she drives, Shelby tries to remember the last thing she said to her daughter. _Your behavior was completely unprofessional. You're going to stay after rehearsal. Clean the mirrors in the dressing rooms, mop the stage floor_. God, those can't be the last words she says to Rachel.

Shelby has never even told Rachel that she loves her. Granted, she can count on one hand the number of people that she's said those three little words to…Beth, her brother, her parents, and her high school boyfriend. Shelby Corcoran usually never says _I-love-you_ unless she knows that whoever she's saying it to shares the feeling. And, up until a few weeks ago, she thought Rachel hated her.

Driving as fast as she can, she makes it to the hospital in record time. She rushes in and demands that the woman behind the counter tell her where Rachel Berry's room is. She follows the woman's directions and stops just outside Rachel's room. She just stands there for a few seconds, trying to gather enough strength to walk through the door. She knows that once she sees Rachel, this nightmare will become real.

When she finally steps into the room and sees her comatose daughter lying in the hospital bed, she feels her stop heart beating and then drop to her stomach. The closer she gets to her daughter, the more her eyes fill up with tears. Rachel is wearing a hospital gown. She's lying on her back with her arms at her sides. The position is stiff. Unnatural. With the exception of the steady rise and fall of her chest, Rachel is completely still. Hiram's voice tears Shelby's attention from Rachel.

"Shelby? What are you doing here?" Hiram asks.

_What are you doing here?_ The question makes her angry. Whether they like it or not, she is Rachel's mother. And, she is Rachel's coach. They had to know she would find out when Rachel didn't show up for practice. They couldn't have picked up the damn phone? As she shifts her attention from Rachel to Hiram, her expression slowly hardens.

The second she sees him, her anger fades away. Hiram is sitting down in a chair pulled up to the left side of Rachel's bed. From the way his rumpled clothes look, it's clear he slept in them. Bloodshot eyes scream that he didn't get much sleep. The usually clean-shaven man has a five o'clock shadow. He's unkempt. He looks like he's been to hell and back. An equally distraught Leroy sits next to him.

Shelby feels a sudden sense of understanding. Empathy. She knows exactly how they feel. After all, that's her daughter, too. And, in this moment, they're all on the same side. They all want the same thing…for Rachel to wake up.

"She's my daughter," Shelby says.

Hiram wants to remind her that they are Rachel's parents. Not her. That she has no right to be there. But, he sees the determined look on Shelby's face. He's seen that look on his daughter's face a million times. He knows Shelby won't back down. Not without a fight. And, he doesn't have the strength to fight with her. Not right now. Not when he's been in this hospital room for the last fifty hours. So, he remains silent.

When Hiram frowns, Shelby tries to find something, anything, to say to convince him not to kick her out.

"Look, I know you guys are her parents. I know I'm not her mom. But all three of us care about her. I want the same thing that you do. I want her to be okay. I want to see her smile again. I want to hear her sing again," Shelby says.

It takes Hiram and Leroy a few moments to respond while they nervously look at each other. Is it possible to be relieved and afraid at the same time? They're relieved at Shelby's realization that _they_ are Rachel's parents. But, they're also a little afraid that Shelby cares about Rachel so much. Because, Shelby looks and sounds like a real parent right now.

"I'm glad you've come to that realization. _If_ we let you stay, you have to understand that _we_ will be making any decisions," Hiram says.

Shelby hides her annoyance at being spoken to like a child. _If we let you_…since when do Hiram and Leroy _let_ her do anything? It takes all she's got to remain calm.

"I understand," Shelby says. The words taste like vinegar. Bitter.

"Really?" Hiram asks. The doubt is clear in his tone. "Because last time we were here you made it pretty clear that you didn't agree with our decision to let Rachel get a nose job," Hiram reminds her.

Of course she didn't agree with their decision! It was a bad decision. She wants to tell them that, but she holds herself back.

"I said I understand," Shelby mutters.

"Okay. You can stay," Hiram says.

Shelby breathes a sigh of relief. Her relief is short-lived. Remembering the reason she came here, Shelby's eyes return to Rachel.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Shelby asks.

Shelby's concern seems genuine, so Leroy tells her as much as they know.

"They had to remove her spleen. There was a complication during surgery. She lost a lot of blood. They lost her for a few seconds. She was dead…our daughter was dead," Leroy says.

Hiram reaches for Leroy's hand and takes over.

"She's stable now. It's just a question of when she'll wake up," Hiram says.

It takes Shelby a few seconds to register the information. Hearing that they lost Rachel for a few seconds, Shelby realizes just how close she came to losing her daughter. Not that Rachel was ever really hers to lose. Suddenly she feels like she can't breathe. She takes a deep breath and tries to focus on the fact that Rachel is stable now.

"Did the doctors say how long they think it will be?" Shelby asks.

"They don't know. They said it could be a couple of hours or a couple of days," Hiram replies.

"How long has it been?" Shelby asks.

"Since the accident," Hiram replies.

"The accident?" Shelby murmurs.

Leroy sighs slowly. "She was on her way home from a party on Friday night. She was with Noah. One of the other kids hit Noah's car. The kid had been drinking. Some of the other kids saw everything and called 911," Leroy says.

Hiram closes his eyes for a moment. "We owe them. The doctor said she's lucky the ambulance got her here so fast. It may have saved her life," Hiram says.

Shelby makes a mental note to find out which of her students to thank, and which one to kill later. That can wait. Right now she needs to be right here, for as long as it takes Rachel to wake up.

Now that her questions are answered, Shelby doesn't know what to say to Hiram and Leroy. She knows they don't want her there. So, she stands there, silent. She doesn't know how long she's been standing there, just staring at her daughter, when a blonde woman that looks like she's in her early thirties steps into the room. From the way she's dressed, it's clear she's not a doctor. She looks at Hiram, and then Leroy. She doesn't know who she needs to talk to. So, she clears her throat to get everyone's attention.

"Mr. Berry? I'm Amy from the billing department. I have a couple of questions about your insurance," the woman…Amy says. "Can you come down to my office?" Amy asks.

Hiram and Leroy both stand up. As they follow Amy to her office, Shelby takes Hiram's seat. She takes Rachel's hand in her own. She stares at her daughter's hand for a moment. She wishes her daughter's fingers would squeeze her hand, but her daughter's fingers are perfectly still.

"Rachel, can you hear me?" Shelby asks.

Of course, Rachel doesn't answer. She can't talk back.

As she looks at her comatose daughter, Shelby takes a deep breath and sighs. There's so much Shelby wants to say to her daughter, but she knows she would never have the courage to say it if Rachel were awake. She's too afraid of how Rachel would react.

"I'm not your mom, but you're my daughter…and I love you. God, everything's so messed up right now!" Shelby says. Her voice cracks.

And, that's how Shelby tells her daughter that she loves her for the first time. It's been a long time coming. She's loved her daughter since the first time she saw her over sixteen years ago. One look was enough. She's known her daughter for a year and a half, give or take a month. She's seen her daughter almost daily for a month now. And yet, this is the first time she finds the courage to tell Rachel how she feels. Rachel simply lies there. Shelby wonders what Rachel would say if she could respond. Shelby looks down, swallows hard, and continues.

"I did want to get to know you. I thought I had all the time in the world. I thought we could go slow. I never thought something would happen to you," Shelby says.

It's the honest truth. She meant it when she said they should be grateful for each other from afar _for a while_. She didn't know how long it would take before they were both ready. Maybe once she got her own life, a family of her own, it wouldn't hurt so much to hear Rachel talk about her life, her family and know she wasn't a part of it. Maybe when Rachel was eighteen, it wouldn't be confusing for her to share something with Shelby.

After they parted ways, Shelby imagined how she would go back into her daughter's life countless times. But, it didn't go the way she planned. She never could have imagined that Rachel would find her at Regionals and ask her to teach at McKinley. After that, it came as a shock when Rachel transferred to Carmel out of the blue. At that moment, in Dustin's office, it became clear that neither Shelby nor Rachel was ready to see each other again. Rachel was so angry. _I want you to know that I heard everything you said loud and clear. I'm not doing this to bond with you. _Shelby didn't know if Rachel would ever be ready. And, she didn't want to pressure Rachel into anything. Now, she looks down at Rachel and knows she has to act before it's too late. Life is too short.

"Hon, you gotta open your eyes," Shelby pleads.

Shelby continues to plead with Rachel to come back to her right up until Hiram and Leroy return. When they return, she immediately falls silent. She doesn't want them to hear her. She isn't even sure she wants Rachel to hear everything she just said. Not because she didn't mean it. She meant every word. It's just that it's extremely difficult for Shelby Corcoran to show that emotion. Weakness. Vulnerability. As she jumps up from Hiram's seat, she wonders if she'll have the courage to share her feelings with Rachel when Rachel's awake.

**A/N:** Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed! Rachel's injuries are somewhat influenced by the injuries Lucas Scott sustained after a car accident in season one of _One Tree Hill_. They're not exactly the same, but they're close. Shelby may have seemed unusually open and honest in this chapter, but keep in mind that she was talking to a comatose Rachel. She would not have been as open and honest if Rachel were awake. I originally planned to have Shelby find out that Jesse egged Rachel in this chapter, but I don't have time to write any more this week. I already had this written, and I didn't want to keep you waiting too long for Shelby's reaction. So, she'll finally find out in the next chapter. Oh, and if you want a spoiler as to how Shelby will find out, keep reading…

Jesse will visit Rachel in the hospital. Shelby may not know that he egged her, but Hiram and Leroy do, and he's the last person they want visiting Rachel.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**A/N:** Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed! I apologize to those of you who have been anxiously waiting for this chapter. I'm really busy this summer and I don't have much time to write. Happy 4th of July!

Rachel's parents love her. All three of them. Right now, they all have just one wish. That she would wake up. They want her to be happy and healthy. They want what's best for her. They just have different ideas of what is best for her. And, they have very different reactions when Noah Puckerman steps into Rachel's hospital room. Leroy and Hiram are grateful to Puck. They owe their daughter's life in part to him. Their greeting is friendly and warm. As warm as their greeting is, Shelby's is cold. Frigid.

Hiram looks at his watch. It's 11:59 am. "Visiting hours don't start for another minute. You're early," Hiram says. His tone is teasing.

Visiting hours are from noon to 8:00 pm. Family members are allowed to visit 24 hours a day. On Rachel's first night in the hospital, Puck tried to convince the nurse that he was Rachel's brother so he could stay. When that didn't work, he flirted shamelessly with the nurse, who was at least twice his age. Flattery didn't get him anywhere. Since then, he's been waiting outside Rachel's room at 11:59 am. And, he doesn't leave until the nurse kicks him out.

Puck holds up a thermos of coffee. "This is for you guys. I figured you would need caffeine and I know the coffee here sucks," Puck says.

As Shelby watches the interaction, she's surprised at first. Hiram and Leroy seem to genuinely like Puck. What kind of parent would want their daughter hanging out with Puck? He's a juvenile delinquent. Of course, Hiram and Leroy don't know what Shelby knows. They haven't read his file. The file Shelby got from the front office and read from cover to cover when she saw his tongue down her daughter's throat. And, Rachel probably only tells them what she wants them to know. Shelby's guessing Rachel didn't fill them in on Puck's big plans for prom night. When Puck gives them the thermos, it's obvious to Shelby that he's sucking up to them.

Leroy reaches out to take the thermos from Puck and thanks him. As Leroy pours a cup of coffee, Puck turns to Rachel. That's when he notices Shelby for the first time. His eyes widen in surprise. He just stares at her for a few seconds.

"Noah, you know Shelby, don't you?" Leroy asks.

Uncomfortable with Shelby's presence, Puck nods and looks down.

"How's your arm?" Leroy asks.

Puck shrugs off his concern. "It's fine," Puck replies.

Shelby's eyes go to his arm and she sees a few nasty cuts. Scanning the rest of his body for injuries, she sees none.

"She's in a coma and you only needed a few stitches," Shelby says.

"Shelby! He cut his arm when he pulled Rachel out of the car!" Hiram tells her.

"The car _he_ was driving," Shelby points out. Her tone is accusatory. She looks at Puck and tilts her head to the side. "Did you have anything to drink before you got in the car with her?" Shelby asks.

Puck just shakes his head. Ordinarily he would have told her to back the fuck off. But, he blames himself for what happened. He thinks he deserves the accusations. The coldness. The anger. Because, Rachel wasn't ready to leave the party. If he would have respected her wishes, she wouldn't be lying here right now. If she would have left Michael's house a fraction of a second later, she would be in Carmel High's auditorium singing instead of in this hospital bed.

"He was not drinking," Leroy replies. His tone is firm. Knowing. "He passed the breathalyzer test. Everyone that saw the accident said it was the other kid's fault," Leroy adds.

Shelby looks down. She feels a little guilty for blaming Puck when he's innocent. But, with the guilt, comes the justification. He was at the party. From what Leroy and Hiram told her, Shelby knows that one of the drivers involved in the accident had been drinking. And, Puck has a history of reckless behavior…stealing, drinking, fighting.

"I'm sorry, Noah," Shelby says.

"Whatever," Puck mutters.

Puck walks over to Rachel's bedside. Hiram stands up and motions to his chair.

"Here. You can sit here. I'm gonna go get something to eat from the cafeteria," Hiram says.

"Thanks, Mr. B," Puck says.

Sitting down, Puck looks at Rachel in silence for a few seconds. His hand goes for hers and he holds on tight. He barely hears Leroy say that he's going to go with Hiram. He doesn't even bother to look up when Shelby excuses herself to get a bottle of water from the vending machine a few minutes later. It takes a moment for him to realize he's alone with Rachel. He hasn't been alone with her since the accident. Every minute he's been allowed in her room, he's been there. But, her dads have always been there as well.

"I feel so bad. It's my fault you're lying in here and there's nothing I can do about it," Puck says.

He's so focused on Rachel that he doesn't even notice Shelby return. Standing in the doorway, she hears every word he says. _He passed the breathalyzer test…everyone that saw the accident said it was the other kid's fault…_she stares at him for a second. She wonders why he feels guilty. He pulled Rachel out of the car. He should feel like a hero. Instead, he feels like a murderer. She feels like she's missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

"Why is it your fault?" Shelby asks.

Her voice startles Puck. His attention immediately shifts to Shelby.

"As you said, I was driving," Puck mutters.

Something tells her that's not the whole story. And, she's not giving up until she gets it.

"Why were you driving? She broke up with you. She kissed Jesse. You said awful things to her. You weren't even speaking to each other in rehearsal this week!" Shelby says. With every word, she gets louder until she's yelling.

Shelby's confusion is slowly turning into anger. Why was he driving Rachel home? If Rachel hadn't been in that car, she wouldn't be here right now. Shelby knows it was an accident, but she needs a target, an outlet for her fury.

"You don't know the first thing about what happened between us!" Puck yells.

"You'd be surprised how much I know," Shelby snaps.

Puck tilts his head slightly to the right and stares at her. His stare is implacable. It's like he's calling her bluff. She doesn't know anything about Rachel's life outside of Vocal Adrenaline. She didn't want to get to know Rachel.

"I know why she broke up with you," Shelby says.

Her confidence catches Puck off guard. His eyes reveal a flicker of doubt.

"You got a hotel room on prom night, she said no, and you found someone that didn't say no," Shelby continues.

Puck stares at her wide-eyed with his mouth open slightly. Rachel told her? Why would she do that? Since when does Rachel share her deepest darkest secrets with the woman that didn't want to have anything to do with her? Do Rachel's dads know?

"So I'm gonna ask you again. Why were you driving?" Shelby asks.

It's not like Puck to tattle, rat anyone out, narc. When the paramedics said they needed to know if Rachel had been drinking, if she'd done any drugs before they started working on her, his first instinct was to lie. But, if he lied, he wasn't sure if they could help her. So, he told the truth. It wouldn't have mattered if he lied anyway. The doctor was able to tell Rachel's dads exactly what her blood alcohol was. He thought they'd be mad at him for being her partner in crime, but they were grateful that he was taking her home when she'd had too much to drink. He didn't volunteer the fact that she didn't want him to take her home.

"She had too much to drink. I was just taking her home," Puck replies.

Shelby leans her back against the wall. Hiram and Leroy left that out when they gave her a report on the who, what, when, where and why Rachel ended up in the hospital. Maybe it was intentional. Or, maybe they were just more concerned with the fact that their daughter was in a coma than her bad behavior. Shelby wonders how much of what happened is to blame on the alcohol. Rachel had too much to drink, so Puck was taking her home. The driver that hit them had been drinking. Would it have changed anything if Rachel hadn't been drinking? Shelby thought Rachel learned her lesson when she got arrested. She obviously thought wrong. She's going to make sure Rachel learns her lesson this time around. Rachel could have died. Her thoughts are interrupted when she hears a familiar voice in the hallway.

Shelby steps into the hallway so Jesse will know where Rachel's room is. The second she steps into the hallway she sees Hiram and Leroy yelling at Jesse.

"She wouldn't want to see you, Jesse," Hiram says, angry.

Shelby takes a step forward and joins them. She quickly intervenes on Jesse's behalf.

"She would want to see him. Jesse and Rachel are friends," Shelby tells him.

"They're not friends. Friends don't usually throw eggs at each other," Leroy scoffs.

"What?" Shelby says incredulously. "Jesse wouldn't do that. I know him. He's a good kid," Shelby says. Her tone is firm. Defensive.

There's no doubt in her mind. She's known Jesse for five years. He was willing to help her when it came to Rachel. The whole time, he knew Rachel was her daughter. Even if he hadn't fallen for Rachel, he wouldn't have hurt her simply because she was Shelby's daughter.

"Clearly you don't know him as well as you think you do," Leroy says.

Shelby looks at Jesse. It's not like him to remain silent. She's waiting for him to deny it. It doesn't even occur to her that the accusation is true. But, the second she makes eye contact with him, he averts his eyes. That's when she knows. This isn't a misunderstanding. Jesse is guilty as charged. As it hits her that Hiram and Leroy know what they're talking about, her expression hardens. _Her student_ egged _her daughter_. And, he knew full well that Rachel was her daughter.

"Look, I'm sorry. What I did to her is my one great regret. I told her how truly sorry I was when I saw her at Sectionals. She forgave me," Jesse says.

Hiram stares at Jesse in disbelief. "I don't know how she could forgive you for that. I think you should go," Hiram says.

Jesse's shoulders slump in defeat. As he turns around to leave, Hiram and Leroy return to Rachel's room. Shelby stands there for a moment before she goes after Jesse. She grabs his arm and holds him back. Jesse slowly turns to face her. He avoids eye contact. He knows she's going to chew him out. First Hiram and Leroy. Now, Shelby. He knows he can't escape what comes next. So, he quickly does damage control.

"I'm so sorry, Shelby," Jesse says.

"Sorry isn't good enough. Not nearly. Rachel is a forgiving person. I'm not," Shelby snaps.

Jesse has seen Shelby angry, upset, disappointed. He's seen her yell at students she doesn't even like. She doesn't try to spare their feelings. She's made most of her students cry at some point. He's seen her yell at Rachel, who he knows she loves. She doesn't treat Rachel like she's breakable. There are no kid gloves. No, she's harder on Rachel than any of her students. But, he's never heard her speak to anyone like this. She's in rare form. He's startled by the severity in her voice.

"I have done so much for you. I wrote you a glowing letter of recommendation for UCLA. I said that you were mature beyond your years. I convinced your other teachers, whose classes you never went to, that you were a good kid, that they should write you recommendations. I helped you get ready for your audition. You got that full-ride scholarship because of me!" Shelby yells.

Her voice reverberates through the hallway. She doesn't even realize that they're gathering an audience of nurses and orderlies. Jesse tries to diffuse the situation.

"I know, and I'm eternally grateful. I…"

But, Jesse doesn't get a chance to finish that thought when an incredulous Shelby cuts in.

"This is how you thank me? Throwing eggs at my daughter?" Shelby says. Her tone is mocking. She shakes her head in disbelief. "I asked you for one favor! I told you to _befriend_ her. That's it! I did _not_ tell you to _seduce_ her, and I sure as hell did _not_ tell you to _egg_ her," Shelby yells.

"Yeah, and I did what you asked! I transferred to McKinley! I got her to listen to that tape when she told me she wasn't ready!" Jesse yells.

Realizing he's yelling at Shelby, he stops suddenly. Yes, she started it, but still. She was his favorite teacher, his coach, his mentor. She's the last person he should be yelling at. He takes a deep breath and sighs.

"When I came back, everyone thought I betrayed them. I had to do it. It was the only way I could prove my loyalty," Jesse says.

All of a sudden, Shelby realizes that Jesse had an audience when he egged Rachel. If he only did it to prove his loyalty, the team would be right there watching to make sure he did it. And, if she knows her students as well as she thinks she does, they didn't just sit back and enjoy the show.

"How many of my performers egged my daughter?" Shelby demands.

"It was after we funkified New Directions. Everyone that stayed to TP the choir room egged her," Jesse replies.

The vast majority of her team egged her daughter. It's like a slap in the face. Shelby's face gets so red that it looks like actual steam is about to come out of her ears. It's been over a year and no one told her. Not one of the twenty-six students on her team. Not Rachel.

"It was before Regionals last year?" Shelby asks incredulously. "God, Jesse! It's been over a year and you never said a word!" Shelby yells. "Were you ever going to tell me?" Shelby asks.

Jesse shakes his head.

"You don't even know what you've done. Her dads already don't want me anywhere near her. Almost all of my performers egged her and I didn't even know. I can't believe I defended you. You made me look like an idiot. I'll be surprised if they let me go back there," Shelby says. She doesn't yell, but that doesn't lessen the power and fury of her words.

Jesse looks up. "Back to her room? Is she okay?" Jesse asks. The concern is written all over his face.

"She's in a coma, Jesse, so, no, she's not really okay," Shelby replies.

"I didn't mean…"

"I know. She's stable. The doctor thinks she'll wake up soon," Shelby says.

Jesse nods his head. He starts to walk away, but turns around when he realizes that he's not going to get to give Rachel his get well soon gift. He tries to give Shelby the yellow care bear.

"This is for her. Can you give it to her? Please?" Jesse asks.

Shelby stares at the stuffed animal and shakes her head. "I can't…her dads…" Shelby trails off.

She knows Hiram and Leroy Berry can, and will, keep her from seeing Rachel. They're calling the shots, and they decided that Jesse is persona non grata.

Jesse stares at her in disbelief. He knows he messed up. But, she can never stay mad at him. It usually only takes him a few seconds to get back on her good side.

"You're still angry?" Jesse asks.

Shelby nods her head. "I'm so angry and so disappointed. But, it's not just that. I also don't trust you anymore," Shelby says.

Jesse's chin drops to his chest. "I'm truly sorry," Jesse says.

"So am I because, now, I have to go apologize to her dads for my students' behavior," Shelby mutters.

And, with those final words, Shelby leaves Jesse alone in the hallway. He watches her leave without a single look back. She's been angry with him before. She was his coach for four years. But, it feels different this time. Like he can't redeem himself in her eyes.


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

If Shelby had known what Jesse did to Rachel, what her team did to Rachel…she never would have defended him. It upsets her that she _didn't_ know. She can understand why her students didn't confess their sins to her. She wouldn't have shown them any mercy. But, why didn't Rachel tell her? It feels like she's always the last to know what's going on with her daughter. She had to hear that her daughter was in a coma from her students. And then, she found out what her team did to her daughter in the worst possible way.

The closer Shelby gets to Rachel's hospital room, the more nervous she gets. She gets a knot in her stomach as she hesitantly steps through the door. Hiram and Leroy both look up. Shelby is met with wary anger in their eyes. They look past her to see if Jesse's with her. She feels the tension deep in her bones.

"He's not here. He's gone. He won't come back," Shelby tells them.

When they hear that Jesse's long gone, they both seem to relax a little. Hiram sits back in his chair. Leroy breathes a sigh of relief.

"I'm, um, sorry about what Jesse did. I didn't know," Shelby says.

She doesn't know if they know that Jesse wasn't alone, if they know how many of her students targeted Rachel. If there's even a small chance that they don't know, she's not going to tell them. Every one of her students that threw an egg at Rachel gives them one more reason to hate her.

Puck jumps out of his chair in anger. He doesn't even know what Jesse did. He just knows it has to be bad if Shelby is apologizing for it.

"What did he do?" Puck demands.

"He threw eggs at Rachel," Leroy replies.

Puck frowns in confusion and rubs the back of his neck. "That was last year," Puck says.

Shelby takes a deep breath and sighs. _You're a masochist…you have a thing for assholes that treat you like crap…_it suddenly dawns of her that the egging incident is what Puck was referring to that day. Did everyone know but her?

"Everyone knew but me," Shelby says. She thinks she muttered the words under her breath, but everyone hears everything in the small hospital room.

"Yes, well, whose fault is that?" Leroy asks. The condescending disdain is clear in his voice.

"Excuse me?" Shelby says. Her tone is insulted.

"You're the one that told Rachel you wanted to be grateful for each other from afar, are you not?" Leroy reminds her. "Do you think she was going to run crying to you after that?" Leroy asks.

Shelby closes her eyes and looks down. She knows exactly to what Leroy is referring. It was hard to say goodbye to Rachel then, but she genuinely thought it was the right thing to do. So, she did it even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. She knows now just how wrong she was. And, apparently Hiram and Leroy know all about the mistakes she made where Rachel was concerned. Her mistakes didn't just affect her. They affected Rachel too. And, she doesn't know if she can fix her mistakes.

"No," Shelby admits.

"Of course she wasn't going to do that," Leroy scoffs.

"I shouldn't have said that. I was wrong," Shelby says.

"What changed your mind?" Hiram asks.

"I didn't change my mind," Shelby says firmly. "I…I always wanted to meet her. Get to know her. When I met her, I realized that she was perfectly happy without me. She didn't need me," Shelby explains.

"She _was_ happy," Hiram confirms. "She didn't know who you were. She never asked about you," Hiram tells her.

His words sting. It's like every syllable is a grain of salt that rubs into the open wound. There's no relief. No escaping the truth.

"She was just fine until she found you. That's when she decided she wanted to get to know you, and you didn't even give her a chance. I don't think you know how much you hurt her," Hiram continues.

"I didn't want her to get hurt," Shelby says.

"Well, she did," Leroy says.

Hiram and Leroy originally insisted on the contract because they wanted an ordinary family…two parents and a kid. They couldn't physically have kids. But, they wanted their kid to be _their_ kid. They did everything for Rachel. Leroy's flexible schedule allowed him to drop Rachel off at school and pick her up, drive her to vocal lessons and dance lessons. They were in the front row for every performance. They gave her everything she wanted. They took care of her when she was sick. _They_ were her parents. They were angry when Shelby broke the contract. Shelby was a surrogate. That's all she was ever supposed to be. And, then, suddenly, Rachel came home calling Shelby _Mom_. Shelby hadn't earned the title. It was like a slap in the face when Rachel wanted to wear the Lady Gaga costume Shelby made her instead of the one they put together.

Leroy wanted to sue the pants off of Shelby for breaking the contract. But, Rachel was already angry with them. After Shelby popped up, Rachel asked them a million questions. She'd always had the questions. She just never asked them because she didn't want to hurt their feelings. When they were stumbling through an explanation, they accidentally let the details of the contract slip. Rachel convinced herself that Shelby would have been her mom if they'd let her. They knew Rachel would never forgive them if they sued Shelby. They should have been relieved when Shelby pushed Rachel away. Happy even. It's exactly what they wanted. So, how come it didn't feel good when a tearful Rachel came home and told them what Shelby said? In fifteen years, they'd never seen Rachel that upset. And, there was nothing they could do to repair the damage Shelby had done.

"What do I need to do to make it right?" Shelby asks.

Leroy stares at her in disbelief. "Now you want us to help you?" Leroy asks sarcastically.

Shelby swallows hard. "You just told me how much I hurt her. I want to make it right. You know her better than I do. Tell me what to do and I'll do it," Shelby says.

To Shelby's surprise, Puck is the one that volunteers an answer.

"Just be there for her. That's all I ever wanted from my dad," Puck says.

It hasn't even been an hour since they were at each other's throats. She unleashed her anger and frustration on him. She can't think of one reason he would help her now. She narrows her eyes in suspicion.

"Why are you helping me?" Shelby asks.

"I'm not doing it for _you_," Puck says.

He looks at Rachel pointedly. Shelby follows his gaze to the person for whom they're all there. The only person they all love. As much as Puck and Shelby don't like each other, he cares about Rachel more. He's the last person Shelby would have asked for advice, but somehow she knows it's good advice. And, she's going to take it. So, she pulls a chair over to the right side of Rachel's bed and takes a seat.

Shelby Corcoran can't remember the last time she did nothing. For years, she never stopped working. If she wasn't physically at a Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal, her mind was on Vocal Adrenaline. Now, she's balancing work and Beth. But, here, in this hospital room there's nothing to do. All she can do is sit there and wait for Rachel to wake up. And, she knows that might not happen anytime soon. It could be hours, or days. Time seems to pass slowly. Waiting is tortuous. Every minute is excruciating. It feels like time is standing still, like her life won't go on until Rachel wakes up. So, she's stunned when Hiram looks at his watch and says its dinnertime.

"What time is it?" Shelby asks.

"7:30," Hiram replies.

As Hiram and Leroy walk toward the door, Leroy asks if Shelby or Puck want anything. Both Puck and Shelby tell them that they're not hungry, but thanks for asking. Shelby hasn't had anything to eat since breakfast. She should be hungry. But, she's not. Not even a little bit.

For the next few minutes, Shelby and Puck sit there in silence. As Shelby wishes she could fast forward to when Rachel wakes up, Puck wishes he could pause time. Because, the closer the hands of the clock get to 8:00 pm, the less time he has. He looks at the time on his cell phone and sighs. It's 7:58 pm. The nurse will be in any minute now to remind him that visiting hours are over. He leans forward in his seat, reaches for Rachel's hand and squeezes it.

"I'm gonna go before that bitch throws me out. I'll be back tomorrow," Puck says.

Shelby thinks he's talking to her at first. Her eyes go from her daughter to Puck. That's when she realizes that he's talking to Rachel.

Puck reluctantly walks toward the door. He pauses in the doorway and shoots one last glance at Rachel. As he leaves, Shelby is grateful for a moment alone with her daughter. She stands up and takes a step closer to Rachel's bed. She brushes a lock of hair out of Rachel's face.

"Come on, Rachel. You gotta open your eyes," Shelby says.

Of course, Rachel doesn't. Since when has Rachel done what Shelby tells her to do? Why would she start now? Shelby shakes her head.

"I probably should have told you that I didn't want you to wake up. _Then_ you would wake up," Shelby mumbles under her breath.

She takes a step back. She's about to sit down when she sees Rachel slowly open her eyes. The sight of her daughter's brown eyes freezes Shelby for a moment. She wanted Rachel to wake up, but she didn't really expect it. Relief washes over her.

The first thing a disoriented Rachel notices is that she's in a hospital room. And then, she sees Shelby. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. She winces in pain. Her throat is too dry.

Shelby hurries to Rachel's bedside. There's a cup of water on the bedside table. She hands it to Rachel, who immediately takes a sip. Rachel wonders what Shelby's doing there, where her dads are. As she tries to figure out what happened, she slowly remembers flashes of Friday night. She sees Puck dancing with Giselle and feels the jealousy just as strong now as she did in the moment. Fighting with Puck…_All I want is for you to leave me alone…That sucks for you_. She cringes as she remembers Puck carrying her out of Michael's house…_Let me go, you Neanderthal._ The last thing she remembers is being in Puck's car…trying to keep her heavy eyelids open…feeling a sharp pain all of a sudden.

"Shelby? What…what are you doing here? Where are my dads? I-is Noah okay?" Rachel asks.

Shelby chooses to ignore Rachel's first question. She's tired of everyone being surprised that she's there for her daughter. She calmly explains where Rachel's dads are and that Puck is just fine.

"Your dads are here. They're just getting something to eat. They should be back any second now. Noah is fine. He just needed a few stitches. He was here, but he had to leave because visiting hours are over," Shelby says.

Rachel needs to talk to her dads, tell them she's okay. She knows how worried they must be. She sits up a little more, and her eyes scan the room for her cell phone. Shelby panics when an injured Rachel starts moving.

"What are you doing?" Shelby asks.

"Looking for my phone. I need to call my dads," Rachel replies. There's a hint of desperation in her voice.

Shelby can't deny it hurts that Rachel wants Hiram and Leroy. Not her. But, she hides her pain for her daughter's sake.

"I don't know where your things are. You can use my phone if you want," Shelby says.

She gets her cell phone out of her purse and hands it to Rachel. Rachel dials Leroy's cell phone number first. When it goes straight to voicemail, she tries Hiram. When it goes to voicemail as well, she sighs in frustration. As Rachel tries her dads, Shelby crosses the room and pushes the call button. She's surprised when Rachel returns the phone to her without ever having spoken to her dads.

"You didn't get them?" Shelby asks.

Rachel shakes her head.

"Their batteries probably died. They haven't been home since…" Shelby trails off. She doesn't have to finish that sentence for Rachel to know what she means anyway.

"How…how long have I been here?" Rachel asks.

Shelby wants to say _"Too long," _but she knows that's not the answer Rachel wants.

"Well, its Monday," Shelby replies.

Rachel gasps in shock. If her last memory is of Friday night, that means she's been in the hospital for _three days_.

"It's been three days! How are my dads? God, they must be so worried!" Rachel cries out.

When Rachel asks about her dads _again_, Shelby is no longer able to contain her pain. She looks directly into her daughter's eyes.

"We've all been really, really worried about you," Shelby says.

As the full impact of Shelby's words hits Rachel in the chest, she needs a moment to recover. She looks down and leans back against the headboard. She wonders if Shelby's been there this whole time too. Did Shelby leave Beth with a nanny, cancel Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal just so she could be there? The doctor comes in before Rachel can find the words to express how good it feels to come first for once.

The woman in her mid-forties is the surgeon that operated on Rachel. The one that had to tell Hiram and Leroy that their daughter was in a coma. She doesn't see the two men. Instead, she sees a new face…an older Rachel. She introduces herself to Shelby as Dr. Jones. When Shelby tells her that Rachel's awake, she quickly crosses the room and checks on Rachel. She asks Rachel questions as she checks her vitals and looks at her stitches.

"How do you feel?" Dr. Jones asks.

"Like I was hit by a bus," Rachel replies.

Dr. Jones smiles. "You'll be sore for awhile," Dr. Jones says.

Unaware of how much they missed in the last half hour, Hiram and Leroy Berry step into the room. At first, when they see Dr. Jones, they think the worst.

"Dr. Jones? Why are you here? Is Rachel okay?" Leroy asks.

When Dr. Jones turns to face them, they see that she's standing over an awake Rachel. They're flooded with relief. Hiram hurries over to Rachel's bedside while Leroy looks at Dr. Jones and waits for a full report on his daughter's condition.

"Her vitals look good. Her stitches are healing nicely," Dr. Jones tells them.

"Does that mean I can go home?" Rachel asks.

Everyone turns to look at her.

"I'd like to keep you here tonight," Dr. Jones replies.

"So I can go home tomorrow?" Rachel asks.

"We'll see how you're doing tomorrow," Dr. Jones says.

Rachel sighs in frustration at the vague answer.

"When can I go back to Glee?" Rachel asks.

Dr. Jones looks at Hiram and laughs. He warned her that Rachel's only concern would be if she could sing.

"You were right," Dr. Jones acknowledges.

"I told you," Hiram says, chuckling.

Dr. Jones looks at an annoyed Rachel. "You can sing, but you should stay away from choreography for a few weeks," Dr. Jones replies.

Rachel sighs slowly. "Staying away from choreography means no Nationals, which means my life is over," Rachel cries out.

Hiram and Leroy look at each other nervously. They knew Rachel would get upset. And, they know they haven't seen the worst of it. When they tell her that she's not performing in Nationals, she's going to have a cow. Before they can work up the courage to tell Rachel, Shelby speaks up.

As Rachel gets more upset, Shelby takes a step closer to her and puts a hand on her shoulder. The hand is comforting, yet restraining. Unaware of Hiram and Leroy's plan, Shelby tells Rachel the one thing that she thinks will calm Rachel down.

"Rachel, you can still do the solo," Shelby says.

Rachel locks eyes with Shelby. "But, the group number?" Rachel asks.

Shelby shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Hon. You can't do the choreography," Shelby replies.

Clearly annoyed at how Shelby jumped right in, Hiram glares at her while Leroy shoots her a disapproving look.

"Actually…we don't know if it's such a good idea for you to go to Nationals right now," Hiram says.

Rachel's eyes immediately go to Hiram's. "What?" Rachel asks, shocked and angry.

"We were supposed to leave for William's wedding this morning, remember?" Leroy reminds Rachel.

"So?" Rachel asks.

William is one of Leroy's best friends from law school. The two men dated for over a year and remained close after they broke up. William is getting married on Friday, and Leroy is in the wedding party. Leroy and Hiram were supposed to leave that morning for Canada. The road trip has been planned for a few months. They were always going to let Rachel stay in the house alone.

"Well, we _were_ going to leave you alone for the week…" Hiram says.

"But, now we just don't think that's a good idea. We want you to come with us, which means you'll miss practice this week," Leroy says.

"But, this is the last week before Nationals!" Rachel yells.

"And that's why you're going to have to miss Nationals," Leroy says.

"No! I can't miss Nationals!" Rachel yells. Her voice is getting even louder.

"It's not like this is the only time you can go to Nationals. There's always next year," Hiram points out.

"I want to go this year! I _need_ to go this year! You _know_ how much I want this!" Rachel cries out.

Leroy sighs. "Yes, we know. And we're sorry, but the answer is no," Leroy says firmly.

"Why can't I just stay home?" Rachel demands.

"We were going to let you stay home because we thought we could trust you," Hiram says.

From what Hiram and Leroy know, Rachel has been a perfect angel for the past few months. They were hesitant to leave her alone again after what happened last time, but they were convinced that the party was out of character. Now, they're not so sure.

"You _can_ trust me!" Rachel insists.

"I wish we could, but we can't. You were drinking on Friday night," Leroy replies.

"I promise I won't drink," Rachel says.

"That's not the only reason, Rachel. You just had surgery. We don't want to leave you alone. I mean, what if something happens to you and we're not here?" Leroy says.

The whole time Rachel has been arguing with Hiram and Leroy, Shelby's been watching a little surprised and a whole lot interested. She knows exactly what it's like to argue with a stubborn Rachel. But, she thought it was just _her_. It never even occurred to her that Rachel would act like this when the two people that raised her told her what to do. Now, she realizes maybe it's not her. Maybe Rachel just doesn't listen to anyone. At first, when she heard what Hiram and Leroy's concern was, she wanted to jump in and say that Rachel could stay with her. But, she was afraid of how the men would react. So, she sat back and watched how things unfolded. Now that everyone seems to be calming down a little, she doesn't know if she should say something or stay out of it.

"Hiram…Leroy, can I speak to you for a second?" Shelby asks.

While Rachel pouts, the two men follow Shelby into the hallway. Shelby looks at them nervously.

"I…um…I'd be happy to have Rachel stay with me while you're out of town. That way she could still go to Nationals," Shelby says.

"Absolutely not," Hiram replies.

"Hiram, you know Rachel's going to pout the whole way to Canada. She's going to ruin this trip for everyone. Maybe we should let her stay," Leroy says.

Not wanting Rachel to stay with Shelby, but knowing Leroy is right, Hiram exhales deeply. He looks at Shelby.

"You have to understand that this is a one-time thing. She's not going to start spending every other week at your house or anything like that," Hiram says.

"I know," Shelby replies.

Hiram nods his head. "Okay, then let's go see if Rachel wants to do this," Hiram says.

When they go back into the room, Rachel immediately looks up.

"Okay, here's the deal. If you want to go to Nationals, you can stay with Shelby while your father and I are traveling," Hiram says.

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. She's never been in Shelby's house. Not once in all the time she's known her mother. She doesn't even know where Shelby lives. Biting her bottom lip, she wonders if Shelby wants Rachel to stay with her, or simply wants Rachel to lead Vocal Adrenaline to victory at Nationals. It doesn't matter. Shelby's motivation doesn't change Rachel's answer.

"I want to stay with Shelby," Rachel replies.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed!


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Shelby didn't even have to think about having Rachel staying with her. Rachel's dads were going to Canada. Rachel wanted to stay in Ohio. Rachel would stay with Shelby. It was simple. She didn't realize until she went home that it wasn't that simple. She was forgetting one thing…Beth. She doesn't know how Rachel feels about Beth. How Rachel sees Beth. Rachel has only mentioned Beth once. They were in Shelby's car, on the way home from the police station after Rachel's pre-Sectionals party. Shelby spent most of the car ride lecturing Rachel. She doesn't remember every harsh word she said to her daughter, but she does remember very well one thing Rachel said. _I hope Beth never makes a mistake._ The bitter resentment wasn't lost on Shelby. She doesn't know if the resentment has faded away since that night. For the first time since Rachel agreed to stay with her, Shelby feels a hint of doubt. But, she can't exactly tell Rachel she changed her mind. And, she doesn't want to. Her nervousness is matched inch by inch by excitement. She'll have six days to bond with her daughter.

So, she gets the guest room ready for Rachel. She vacuums the carpet and dusts the nightstand and dresser. She puts clean linens on the bed and clean towels in the bathroom. She wants everything to be perfect for Rachel.

When she's cleaned every square inch of the guest room, she finally goes to bed. But, she can't sleep. She's too anxious. She hasn't been up before Beth, well, ever, but she's up over an hour before Beth starts crying. She uses the hour to clean the living room and kitchen. She actually likes cleaning. It calms her down. Shelby Corcoran likes order.

By the time the nanny arrives, both Shelby and Beth are dressed. Sarah is one of Shelby's students. She has a damn good voice, but she's not on Vocal Adrenaline. It's not that Shelby didn't want her. But, when Shelby confirmed the rumor that they practiced until midnight more often than not, Sarah declined. Sarah is one of the few students who isn't on Vocal Adrenaline and still manages to get all A's in Shelby's class. She's a good kid. Smart. Hard-working. Polite. Kind. Shelby trusts her with Beth. Shelby passes Beth to Sarah, grabs her purse, and gets in her car.

An hour later, Rachel takes her seat in the passenger seat of Shelby's Range Rover as Hiram and Leroy put her bags in the trunk. They give Shelby instructions on how to reach them if anything happens. Shelby tries to hide her annoyance. What's going to happen? She is Rachel's mother. Yes, they have a lot of issues, but Shelby thinks she can take care of her daughter for a week. She's had Beth for over a year now, and Beth is happy and healthy. She's been dealing with teenagers for years as a teacher and coach. She can do this.

As she takes her place in the driver seat and starts driving toward her house, she looks over at Rachel. Rachel is slumped down in her seat. She looks exhausted. It only takes her a few minutes to fall asleep.

Shelby pulls into her driveway. She stares at Rachel for a moment. She doesn't want to disturb her. She can get Beth from the car to her crib without waking her up. She knows she's going to have to wake Rachel up.

"Rachel? Rachel! Hon, you gotta get up," Shelby says.

Rachel opens her eyes and looks around, confused. It takes a few seconds for her to realize they're there. She gets out of the car and waits while Shelby gets her bags out of the trunk. She follows Shelby to the front door.

Shelby nervously opens the door. Rachel follows her into the hallway. Shelby gives Rachel a tour. She shows Rachel where things are in the kitchen and how to work the TV in the living room. And then, they go upstairs. Shelby follows Rachel with Rachel's bags. Rachel stops at the top of the stairs and looks at Shelby. There are four doors, and Rachel doesn't know where she's supposed to be going.

"The guest room is the first door," Shelby tells her.

Rachel goes in the first door. It's an ordinary guest room. There's a queen size bed made up in gold and ivory linens. There's a dark wood nightstand and dresser.

"Is this okay?" Shelby asks.

"It's fine," Rachel replies.

Shelby puts Rachel's bags in the closet.

"My room is at the end of the hall," Shelby tells her.

Shelby doesn't mention that Beth's room is next to hers. She knows Rachel will come face to face with Beth. She just wants to delay the inevitable as long as possible.

"You should sleep for awhile," Shelby says.

Pulling the covers back on the bed, Rachel lies down.

"Do you need anything?" Shelby asks.

"I need to take one of my painkillers," Rachel replies.

"I'll bring you a glass of water," Shelby says.

After a quick trip to the kitchen, Shelby returns with a glass of water. Rachel sits up, reaches for the orange bottle full of painkillers in her bag, pulls out a pill and swallows it with a sip of water. As Rachel lies back down, Shelby walks out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Rachel closes her eyes and tries to fall back asleep. But, she can't. She's too sore. She can't find a comfortable position. And, it's not just where she has stitches. The painkiller is making her feel nauseas, too. So, she gets up and hurries into the bathroom.

As she kneels in front of the toilet, she wishes her dads were there. Leroy would rub her back while she threw up. And then, she would lie down in bed and Hiram would wait on her hand and foot. That's what they always do when she gets sick. But, they're not there now. She's alone. Yes, Shelby's just downstairs, but she feels like she's alone.

When the nausea finally fades away, Rachel debates whether she should take another painkiller. She's scared that she'll get sick again if she does. She starts walking towards the door. Her intention is to ask Shelby what she should do. She pauses with her hand on the doorknob. She's just staying with Shelby. Shelby's not her mom. Shelby's not the person she goes to when she needs something. So, she sits down on the bed and calls her dad instead.

"_Rachel? Is everything okay?_"

"_Yeah. It's just…the painkiller upset my stomach."_

"_Did you take it on an empty stomach?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Eat some toast or something and then try taking another one."_

"_Thank you."_

"_Love you. Call us and let us know how you're feeling later."_

Rachel heads down to the kitchen. Shelby is sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee. To her right, a teenager is coloring with a little blonde girl…Quinn and Puck's daughter…no, Shelby's daughter.

Beth is the first to notice Rachel. She turns around and stares at Rachel for a few seconds. The teenager looks up to see what Beth is looking at and smiles at Rachel.

"Hey," the teenager says.

"Hi," Rachel replies.

When she hears Rachel's voice, Shelby looks up.

"Rachel? What are you doing up? You're supposed to be sleeping," Shelby says.

"I just, um, wanted to get something to eat…if that's okay," Rachel says.

"Of course," Shelby replies.

Shelby follows Rachel into the kitchen.

"What do you want?" Shelby asks.

"Toast," Rachel replies.

Shelby gets a loaf of bread out and puts two pieces in the toaster. They just stand there, staring at each other, as they wait for the toast to be ready. They don't know what to say to each other. Ordinarily when they talk, they're talking for a reason. And, that reason is usually Vocal Adrenaline. They don't talk just to talk. Rachel doesn't tell Shelby how her day was. An uncomfortable Shelby finally breaks the silence after a few seconds.

"Do you know Sarah?" Shelby asks, nodding her head toward the teenager sitting at the kitchen table.

"I think I've seen her around before," Rachel replies.

"She goes to Carmel," Shelby says.

"What is she doing here?" Rachel asks.

"She's…um, she's my nanny," Shelby explains.

"Oh…are you going to rehearsal?" Rachel asks.

Shelby shakes her head. "No. I'm not going back to rehearsal until you're better," Shelby replies.

Rachel wonders why Sarah's there if Shelby isn't going anywhere. Shelby probably wants to go, but feels like she has to stay.

"I'm fine. You can go," Rachel says.

"They don't need me. Jesse can run rehearsal in my absence. He knows what they need to do to win," Shelby says.

No, Vocal Adrenaline doesn't need her and Rachel does. Or, at least, she wants Rachel to need her.

When the toast pops up, Shelby puts in on a plate and hands it to Rachel. Shelby returns to her seat at the kitchen table. Rachel hesitates for a few seconds before joining everyone at the table.

Sitting directly across from Beth, Rachel takes a moment to study her. The little girl looks like a younger version of Quinn. When Beth meets her eyes, Rachel sees that she has Puck's warm hazel eyes. Shelby notices her daughters staring at each other. She looks at Rachel nervously.

"Rachel, this is Beth," Shelby says.

"I know. She looks like…" Rachel trails off.

She doesn't know if she's supposed to mention Quinn in Beth's presence. She doesn't have to finish that sentence for Shelby to know what she was going to say anyway.

"Yeah. She does," Shelby says. She looks over at Beth. "Beth, can you say hi to Rachel?" Shelby asks.

"Hi, Rachel," Beth says. Her voice is soft. Shy.

Rachel wonders how a child of Puck and Quinn's could be shy.

"Hi," Rachel replies.

Beth quickly returns to coloring, and Rachel takes a couple bites of her toast.

Shelby stares at Rachel. Her daughter just met her other daughter. Rachel and Beth are not perfect strangers anymore. Of course, they're not sisters either. Not really. They won't grow up together. Spend holidays together. Who will Beth spend holidays with when Shelby dies? Shelby hasn't thought about it before. Her parents died when she was eighteen. The only family she had left was her brother. She realizes that Beth won't have anyone when she dies. And, that makes her sad. She finds herself wishing that Rachel and Beth were real sisters. Her thoughts are interrupted when Rachel stands up and picks up her now empty plate. Shelby quickly stands up and takes the plate from Rachel.

"Here. I'll take that," Shelby says.

Rachel looks surprised. She just stands there trying to decide if she should fight over the dirty dish or just say thank you.

"Thank you," Rachel says.

Shelby rinses the plate off and then puts it in the dishwasher. She realizes Rachel is still standing there.

"Do you want anything else?" Shelby asks.

"No," Rachel replies.

"If you don't want anything else, you should go back up to bed. The doctor said that you need to rest," Shelby says.

"Yeah…okay," Rachel says.

Rachel can't decide if she's offended that her mother couldn't wait to get rid of her or grateful for an excuse to leave the kitchen. Beth isn't comfortable around her. She was so shy. Is she always shy or is it just Rachel? Does Beth even know who Rachel is? Does Shelby _want_ Beth to know who Rachel is? Shelby seemed uncomfortable too. Maybe she wanted to keep them apart. She probably did. After all, Shelby adopted Beth a year and a half ago and this is the first time Rachel's seen her.

When Rachel gets up to the guest room, she takes another painkiller. She lies down in bed. It feels like just as soon as she gets comfortable, her stomach gets upset. Again. She hurries into the bathroom just in time. That's it. She's not taking any more painkillers.

Rachel lies back down. She lies there for what feels like hours. She can't sleep. She's too sore. Every position hurts.

She wants to watch TV, but she doesn't want to go downstairs. Shelby and Beth are down there. So, she gets her laptop out of the bag her dads packed for her. She sits up in bed with her back against the headboard.

After she puts Beth down for a nap, Shelby carefully opens the door to the guest room, trying not to be noisy. She doesn't want to wake Rachel up. She just wants to check on Rachel. To her surprise, Rachel isn't asleep. Rachel is sitting up in bed. She's leaning her back against the headboard. She has her laptop open in her lap and she's staring at the screen. She's so focused on the TV show she's watching online that she doesn't even notice Shelby.

"Rachel? Rachel!" Shelby says.

Startled, Rachel jumps when she hears Shelby calling her. She looks at Shelby and takes a deep breath.

"Sorry. I should have knocked. I thought you were sleeping," Shelby says.

"I couldn't sleep," Rachel explains.

"The doctor said that you need to rest," Shelby reminds her.

"Yeah, well, she also said the painkillers would make me feel better and they just made me feel worse," Rachel mutters.

Shelby looks at Rachel nervously. Hearing that Rachel feels worse now than she did when they left the hospital worries her.

"What?" Shelby asks.

"They upset my stomach. I'm not taking them anymore. I may be sore, but at least I'm not sore _and_ nauseas," Rachel explains.

"They upset your stomach? Why didn't you say anything?" Shelby asks.

Rachel just shrugs. "I called my dads. They told me to eat something and try taking another one. I did and it _still _made me sick," Rachel says.

Why did Rachel call her dads? Shelby was right downstairs. Shelby exhales deeply. She sits down next to Rachel on the bed.

"I can't take painkillers either. The doctor gave them to me when I had surgery a few years ago and I couldn't take them without getting sick. I had to take Tylenol instead," Shelby says.

Shelby can't take painkillers either. Rachel thinks it must be a genetic trait. The more she learns about her mother, the more she finds they have in common. It's peculiar that she's more like the mother she didn't meet until she was fifteen than the dads that raised her. She smiles faintly.

"Tylenol, huh?" Rachel says.

Shelby smiles. "Yeah," Shelby replies. She looks at the screen on Rachel's laptop. "Why don't you come downstairs and watch TV?" Shelby asks.

"Sure," Rachel replies.

She takes a minute to shut her computer down, and then follows Shelby downstairs. She sits down on the couch. Shelby hands her the remote. As Rachel looks for something to watch, Shelby goes into the kitchen to get the Tylenol. Shelby hands the bottle of Tylenol to Rachel. Rachel stares at the bottle nervously. She's hesitant to take anything else. She hasn't been able to keep anything down.

"It shouldn't upset your stomach," Shelby says.

Rachel opens the bottle, takes two pills out, and swallows them.

Shelby sits down next to Rachel on the couch and looks at the TV.

"What are you watching?" Shelby asks.

"You can watch something else," Rachel says. She picks the remote up and tries to give it to Shelby.

"Rachel, you can watch whatever you want," Shelby says.

Rachel seems to relax a little bit. She puts the remote down on the coffee table and leans back in her seat. "_Bethenny Ever After_. That's what I'm watching. Do you like her?" Rachel says.

"Yeah. I just read her book," Shelby replies.

"Was it good?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah. It's in my room. You can read it if you want," Shelby replies.

Rachel nods her head and smiles. "Thanks," Rachel says.

Slowly the Tylenol helps with the pain. Rachel curls up on the couch with her head on a throw pillow and her feet right by Shelby. She falls asleep before the show is over.

Shelby looks over at Rachel and smiles. She gets up, careful not to wake Rachel up, and retrieves a blanket from the hall closet. She puts the blanket over her daughter and sits back down.

When Rachel wakes up a few hours later, Shelby is nowhere to be seen. She folds the blanket and puts it at the end of the couch. She goes upstairs. She can hear her mother's voice coming from the room at the end of the hall. She walks over and stands just outside the door. She can see Shelby sitting on her bed and Beth shifting next to her. She stands there, watching her mother interact with Beth.

Shelby sighs and looks over at Beth. Beth woke up from her nap over an hour ago. Shelby didn't want Beth to wake Rachel up, so she took Beth to her room and put a cartoon on the TV. The little girl hasn't been able to sit still.

"Beth, I thought you wanted to watch this," Shelby says.

"No. I wanna go downstairs," Beth says.

"Rachel's sleeping downstairs. I don't want you to wake her up," Shelby says.

She's told Beth this a hundred times since Beth woke up.

"Why's she sleeping?" Beth asks.

"Because she doesn't feel well," Shelby replies.

"But what's wrong with her?" Beth asks.

"She was in a car accident and she got hurt," Shelby explains.

"Why is she here?" Beth asks.

"Her dads aren't here, and they didn't want her to stay alone when she's not feeling well," Shelby replies.

"But why doesn't she stay with her mommy?" Beth asks.

Hearing Beth ask why she doesn't stay with her mommy, Rachel has the answer to her question. Beth doesn't know who she is. She feels a hint of disappointment. What was she expecting really? That Shelby had told Beth who Rachel was? Of course Shelby wouldn't tell Beth that Rachel was her daughter. After all, Shelby basically told Rachel that Rachel wasn't her daughter. That she wasn't her mom. That she wanted a family, and Rachel wasn't it. Rachel slowly backs away until she bumps into the wall.

Unaware that Rachel heard Beth's question, Shelby turns to face Beth. She knew Beth would have questions. But, her questions will have to wait. Shelby doesn't know how to answer them. She wants to tell Beth that Rachel is her daughter, Beth's sister. But, she knows the questions would keep coming. Beth would want to know why Rachel didn't live with them if Shelby was her mother too. Shelby can't explain to a little girl how they ended up here. And, even if she could come up with an explanation, she's afraid of what Beth would say to Rachel. She can imagine the little girl telling Rachel that they're sisters, or referring to her as both their _"Mommy."_ And, the last thing she wants to do is put Rachel in an uncomfortable position. So, she tries to avoid the question by distracting Beth.

"What do you want for dinner, Hon?" Shelby asks.

"Betty-o's," Beth replies.

Shelby can't help but smile at Beth's attempt to say Spaghetti O's.

From her spot just outside the door, Rachel listens as Shelby avoids the question. She turns around and goes to the guest room, shutting the door behind her. She calls Puck, the one person that will know exactly how she feels. When he doesn't pick up, she texts him.

"_I need to talk to you."_

Sighing, she sits down on the bed.

At the other end of the hall, Shelby looks at the clock. It's almost dinnertime. She picks Beth up and carries her downstairs. As she heads toward the kitchen, she looks over at the empty couch. She wonders why Rachel didn't say anything to her when she woke up. She puts Beth down in a kitchen chair and goes to work in the kitchen. When Beth's eating her dinner and Rachel and Shelby's dinner is cooking in the oven, Shelby goes upstairs and knocks softly on the door to the guest room.

Inside the guest room, Rachel takes a deep breath and puts on her best show face before she opens the door.

"Hey. When did you get up?" Shelby asks.

"Just a few minutes ago," Rachel replies.

"Oh. Dinner will be ready soon," Shelby says.

"I'm going to dinner with Noah," Rachel says.

Shelby frowns. "Rachel, the doctor said that you needed to rest. I don't think you should go out tonight," Shelby says.

"I've been resting all day. I can go out for a little while," Rachel mutters.

"I planned on you eating here. I'm already cooking," Shelby says.

"What are you cooking?" Rachel asks.

Thinking Rachel's interest means she's eating there, Shelby smiles.

"Chicken," Shelby replies.

"I don't eat meat," Rachel says. Her voice is harsh.

Shelby looks at Rachel apologetically. She gets upset that she didn't even know that her daughter doesn't eat meat.

"You're a vegetarian?" Shelby asks.

"I'm a vegan," Rachel corrects.

Their conversation is interrupted when the doorbell rings.

"That's probably Noah," Rachel says.

She grabs her purse and takes a few steps towards the door. It's clear she's ready to leave. But, Shelby's voice stops her halfway out the door.

"Look, Rachel, you can go to dinner. I don't think I have anything that you'll eat here. But, you need to come back just as soon as you're finished with dinner," Shelby says.

"Fine," Rachel says, annoyed.

As Rachel leaves, Shelby slowly walks towards the kitchen. She pulls the chicken out of the oven and puts it down none-too-gently on the kitchen counter. She wishes she would have made something else, anything else. How could she have known that Rachel's a vegan? She couldn't have. Still, she feels like she should have known. She should know her daughter's favorite foods. Her thoughts are interrupted by her other daughter's voice.

"Mommy, I'm done," Beth calls.

Shelby picks up Beth's empty bowl, rinses it out in the sink, and puts it in the dishwasher.

Sitting down at the table, alone, Shelby is a little sad. She wanted to bond with Rachel. Rachel has been there for a whole day, and they've barely spoken two words to each other. In fact, most of the time Rachel's been awake, she's been holed up in the guest room. It's obvious to Shelby that Rachel only agreed to stay with her because it was the only way that she could go to Nationals.

******A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Rachel hasn't talked to Puck since she woke up. When she woke up on Monday night, visiting hours were over. She knows Puck was right there at her side until he had to leave. She used Shelby's cell to call him, but it went to voicemail. _"Noah, it's me. I'm fine."_ He deserved to know that she was awake. She didn't know what else to say to him. She knows they have to talk about what happened on Friday night. She's not looking forward to the conversation. Despite everything that's happened between them, he's the only person she wants to talk to about Shelby.

When Rachel opens the door and steps outside, Puck just stares at her for a moment. It's the first time he's seen her since she woke up. He has an urge to reach out and touch her. It's like he's afraid that it's all a dream. That when he wakes up, a comatose Rachel will be back in the hospital. He gently takes her into his arms. When he feels her warm body against his, he knows she's real. He holds her for just a second before he takes a step back. He looks at her nervously. He's afraid that simply hugging her hurt her.

"Are you okay?" Puck asks.

Rachel nods her head. "I'm fine," Rachel assures him.

They walk towards Deb Puckerman's Volvo. Puck opens the passenger door for Rachel before he gets in the driver seat.

"Is your car okay?" Rachel asks.

Puck turns to face Rachel, grimaces, and shakes his head.

They stare at each other for a few seconds. They both begin to apologize at the same time. Puck opens his mouth, but the apology dies on his lips when Rachel beats him to it.

"I'm sorry, Noah," Rachel says.

"You have no reason to be sorry," Puck says.

"Yes, I do," Rachel argues. "I was so jealous of you and Giselle. I shouldn't have been. I'm the one that broke up with you. I was only dancing with Michael to make you jealous," Rachel admits.

"I know. I knew what you were doing," Puck says.

Rachel is surprised that Puck knew exactly what she was doing.

"You're forgetting that you've used me to make Finn jealous," Puck reminds her.

Rachel looks down. "I'm so sorry," Rachel says.

"I'm sorry, too. I should have left you alone like you wanted," Puck says.

Rachel shakes her head. "No. I'm glad you didn't. I would have regretted it if I did anything with Michael. I didn't want to do anything with him. But, I was drunk and I shouldn't have gone upstairs with him. It was stupid," Rachel admits.

"The accident was my fault," Puck says.

"No, it wasn't your fault. It was the other driver's fault. He was the one that was drinking and driving," Rachel says. Her tone is firm.

"It's my fault you were even in the damn car," Puck points out.

Rachel reaches for Puck's hand. "You shouldn't be apologizing. I should be thanking you. My dads told me what you did. You got me out of the car and made sure I got to the hospital before it was too late…you saved my life," Rachel says.

Puck didn't save her life. Not really. Yes, he pulled her out of the car. But, if he hadn't, someone else would have. Haylee had already called 911 by the time he got her out of there. He doesn't think he deserves the gratitude, but he's not going to tell Rachel that. After all, he loves her. And, if she feels like she owes him, it could work in his favor.

"I trust you again. I trust you with my life," Rachel continues.

A wide-eyed Puck stares at Rachel. He didn't think he could earn back the trust he broke. That's exactly what he's been trying to do since prom night. He thought his attempts were futile. He'd almost given up.

"What are you saying?" Puck asks.

Rachel takes a deep breath and sighs. "Are you with Giselle?" Rachel asks.

"What? No!" Puck says.

Rachel breathes a sigh of relief. "I want to get back together," Rachel says.

It takes Puck a few seconds to register her words. He never thought he'd hear her say that. He looks at Rachel, who is fidgeting as she waits nervously for a response. He leans in and finds her lips. The kiss is unexpected, but it's only a matter of seconds before she kisses him back.

It's been a long time since his lips have been pressed against hers. He hasn't forgotten what she feels like, tastes like. He's been dreaming about what it would be like to kiss her like this again. Overwhelmed by pent-up passion and desire, he deepens the kiss. When they finally part, they're breathless. It takes a few seconds for Puck to recover. He slowly faces forward and puts the car into drive.

"Where do you wanna go to dinner?" Puck asks.

"Um…how about Breadsticks?" Rachel asks.

As Puck starts driving towards Breadsticks, Rachel remembers the reason she called him in the first place.

"Beth doesn't know who I am. She doesn't know that I'm Shelby's daughter," Rachel says.

The mention of his daughter freezes Puck for a moment. He grips the steering wheel tightly.

"What's…what's she like?" Puck stammers.

"She's pretty. She looks like Quinn. But, she has your eyes. I've always loved your eyes. She's kind of shy. I don't know…maybe she's only shy with me. She's very smart. She speaks perfectly," Rachel tells him.

"So she's okay? She's happy?" Puck asks.

"Yeah. Shelby's really good with her," Rachel replies. There's a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Shelby's not as bad as I thought she was," Puck says.

Rachel stares at him in disbelief. "She's so mean to you," Rachel reminds him.

"She just doesn't want me to be with you. Parents never like me," Puck says.

"She's not my parent," Rachel mutters.

"Yeah, she is. She's your mom. Look, all I ever wanted is for my dad to be there for me and he never was. Shelby's there for you. Did you know that she walked out of rehearsal when she found out that you were in the hospital? She and your dads aren't cool, but she went to the hospital anyway because she loves you," Puck says.

"She's not my mom. Those are her words. Not mine," Rachel says.

"That was last year!" Puck says. His tone is exasperated.

"It doesn't matter when she said it! She still said it!" Rachel yells.

"She regrets it," Puck tells her.

"No, she doesn't. She meant what she said. Beth asked her why I wasn't staying with my mom, and she let Beth think that I'm not her daughter," Rachel cries out.

"Beth is a baby. You think she would understand that Shelby's your mom, but you live with your two gay dads?" Puck says incredulously.

"She didn't have to draw my family tree or anything! It would have been enough if she just said that I was her daughter," Rachel mutters.

Puck lets out a cackle. "You've never been around kids. They ask a lot of questions. She can't _just_ say that you're her daughter," Puck tells her.

Knowing he's right and not wanting to admit it, Rachel exhales deeply and looks away.

"Since when do you defend Shelby?" Rachel demands.

"I'm not defending her. She fucked up. She's sorry," Puck says.

"If she's so sorry, why doesn't she apologize?" Rachel scoffs.

Puck shrugs. "I don't know," Puck replies.

Puck pulls into a parking space in front of Breadsticks. When they're seated, Rachel picks up right where they left off.

"How do you know she's sorry?" Rachel asks.

Rachel looks at Puck, who doesn't respond for a few seconds. He's replaying the scene that took place in the hospital on Monday in his head. He can fill her in on what she missed, but something stops him. Maybe he doesn't think it's his story to tell. Or, maybe he knows Rachel won't believe it until she hears it straight from Shelby's mouth. He shakes his head.

"Ask her what happened when you were sleeping," Puck tells her.

Across town, Shelby's Internet search for vegan recipes is interrupted when the doorbell rings. She curses under her breath as she walks over to the door. She just put Beth down for the night. She hopes the doorbell didn't wake her up. She opens the door and sees a nervous Jesse standing on her doorstep.

She hasn't forgiven him for the egging incident. She's talked to him a few times since she found out what he did. Their conversations were strictly business. She told him that she wouldn't be going back to rehearsal until Rachel was better, so he would have to run rehearsal until Thursday or Friday.

"Jesse, what are you doing here?" Shelby asks. Her voice is cold.

Jesse sighs slowly. "Look, I know you're angry. I said I was sorry. I don't know what else I can say. I'm not here to see you. I came to see Rachel," Jesse says.

"Rachel's not here," Shelby tells him.

Jesse looks a little surprised and a whole lot worried. "You told me she was staying here. What happened? Are you guys fighting?" Jesse says.

Of course he would think that. She and Rachel spend more time fighting than getting along. Shelby crosses her arms across her chest. Her stance is defensive.

"No! We're _not_ fighting," Shelby replies.

Jesse stares at her with raised eyebrows.

Shelby takes a deep breath and sighs. "It _wasn't_ a fight. She just, um, wouldn't eat what I made for dinner, so she went to dinner with Noah," Shelby explains.

She doesn't mention that Rachel barely spoke to her and when she did she alternated between uncomfortable and angry.

"You didn't know that she was a vegan?" Jesse guesses.

Shelby is irritated that Jesse knows more about her daughter than she does. Her irritation takes a backseat to anger that he egged Rachel when he knew she was a vegan.

"You knew she was a vegan and you still egged her?" Shelby says incredulously. "That makes it even worse," Shelby says. She doesn't raise her voice because she doesn't want to wake Beth up, but that doesn't lessen the power and fury of her words.

Jesse looks down. "I know, I know. I shouldn't have done it," Jesse says.

"No, you really shouldn't have," Shelby says sternly.

"How long are you going to punish me for?" Jesse asks.

"I'm not punishing you," Shelby says. Her tone is flat as ice.

"Yes, you are," Jesse mutters.

Shelby shakes her head. "No. I'm not punishing you. I just don't trust you anymore," Shelby says. She's calm and collected.

"Then I guess you don't want my help?" Jesse says.

He starts to turn around, knowing she'll stop him any second now. He can't help the smirk on his face.

"How can you help me?" Shelby asks.

"Well, I know a thing or two about your daughter," Jesse says.

Shelby closes her eyes. "Jesse, wait," Shelby says.

He slowly turns around. She opens the door a little wider. He takes that as his invitation to come in. He follows her into the kitchen and sits down opposite her at the kitchen table. For the next twenty minutes, he lists Rachel's favorite foods.

"Jesse, can you do me a favor? Can you stay here while I go to the store?" Shelby asks.

Jesse looks nervous. "I don't really know anything about kids," Jesse says.

"You'll be fine. Beth is sleeping," Shelby says.

Jesse reluctantly agrees.

After a quick trip to the store, Shelby returns with a ton of vegan food. Jesse helps her carry the grocery bags in. After putting the last of the food away, Shelby turns to face Jesse.

"Thank you for all your help," Shelby says.

"Are we okay?" Jesse asks.

Shelby looks at him for a second. "I'm sorry, but I can't trust you. Not after what you did," Shelby says.

She's genuinely grateful for his help, but that doesn't change what he did. She trusted him completely, and he broke that trust. She doesn't know if he can rebuild that trust. Her hurt her daughter. And, he knew that Rachel was her daughter. If he could do that, how could she ever trust him again?

Jesse was so sure that helping Shelby with Rachel would get him back on her good side. If that didn't soften her towards him, he doesn't think anything will. His actions in the parking lot at McKinley High forever altered their relationship. He slowly walks away in final surrender.

About ten minutes after Jesse leaves, Rachel walks through the front door. Shelby looks up and smiles.

"How was dinner?" Shelby asks.

"Fine," Rachel replies.

Shelby is beginning to think that _fine_ is Rachel's favorite word. She tries to get more out of her.

"Where'd you guys go?" Shelby asks.

"Breadsticks," Rachel replies.

Shelby wonders if there's a question she could ask that Rachel couldn't answer in one word.

Rachel walks towards the stairs. She stops suddenly. She keeps replaying Puck's words in her head. Without turning around to face her mother, she asks the question she really wants to ask.

"What did you say to Noah in the hospital?" Rachel asks.

Caught off guard by the question, Shelby is confused at first. She didn't have much to say to Puck. And then she realizes that Puck must have told Rachel that she blamed him at first. _She's in a coma and you only needed a few stitches_. Rachel's dads tried to explain. _He cut his arm when he pulled Rachel out of the car._ But, no explanation was good enough. _The car he was driving. _Shelby feels like opening her mouth and inserting her foot.

"Rachel, I shouldn't have said what I said in the hospital," Shelby says.

She shouldn't have said it? It doesn't matter what she said to convince Puck that she regrets what she said to Rachel last year, that she loves Rachel because she didn't mean it. Every time Rachel gets her hopes up, she gets disappointed. The disappointment is crushing. She closes her eyes to stop her tears from escaping. She practically runs upstairs.

Shelby watches as Rachel walks…no, runs away. She takes a hesitant step towards the stairs.

"Rachel…" Shelby's voice comes out weaker than she wishes.

Rachel hears Shelby calling her, but she doesn't stop until she reaches the guest room. She goes into the bathroom because Shelby won't be able to follow her there.

But, Shelby doesn't follow her. She wants to go after Rachel. She just doesn't think it will do any good. She screwed up. Again. She just wishes she could do something, anything right.

An emotionally exhausted Shelby slowly walks upstairs. She pauses outside the guest room. She just stands there and stares at the door behind which lies her daughter. She knew this wouldn't be easy. She just didn't think it would be this hard. She doesn't think Rachel's first day in her house could have gone much worse. She's not going to give up. She gave up once. Last year. She's not going to do it again. She's going to try again tomorrow. And the day after that. Maybe some day soon Rachel will stop fighting her.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed. Many of you are asking for bonding scenes between Shelby and Rachel. Keep in mind that this chapter and the last chapter took place during Rachel's first day at Shelby's. Rachel will be at Shelby's for six days. There will be plenty of bonding. Oh, and I'll admit I haven't been around kids a lot. By my calculations, Beth is about eighteen months old. Quinn had her at Regionals during her sophomore year, and it's Nationals during the summer before their senior year. My niece is about the same age as Beth and _usually_ speaks well. Of course, there are a few words she struggles with. My sister said she started talking really early. I honestly don't know when kids usually start talking. Since my niece is the only kid I've been around, I'm basing Beth off of her. I apologize if Beth's not acting her age. That wasn't my intention.


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Rachel doesn't sleep for more than a few hours that night. As soon as the effect of the Tylenol wears off, she starts tossing and turning. The pain doesn't go away. It only gets worse. She finally gives up on going back to sleep. So, she gets up and carefully opens her door, trying not to make too much noise. She doesn't want to wake anyone up. She's hungry and wants to eat before anyone else gets up. She doesn't want to have breakfast with Shelby and Beth like they're one big happy family. Shelby's not her mom. And, Beth's not her sister. So, Rachel tiptoes towards the staircase.

She's almost to the staircase when she hears Beth crying from down the hall. She debates with herself whether she should go get Beth or just keep walking. She knows it will only be a matter of seconds before the noise wakes Shelby. And then, Rachel will have to eat her breakfast while she watches her mother play mom to Quinn's daughter. Beth calling Shelby "_Mommy_." Shelby making breakfast. She would know all Beth's favorite foods. Rachel shakes her head. Shelby didn't even know that she was a vegan. Sighing, Rachel turns around and heads towards the noise. She opens the door and takes a hesitant step into the room.

The nursery is beautiful. The first thing Rachel notices is that one wall has a mural of a cow jumping over the moon. There's a white wood crib against that wall. The other walls are light yellow. There's a white wood dresser and a tall white bookshelf filled with children's books against the far wall. There's a comfortable looking yellow armchair by the window. There's a large toy bin next to the armchair. It's stuffed to the brim with toys…dolls, stuffed animals, blocks.

Beth stops crying when she sees Rachel standing in the doorway.

"Rachel?" Beth says. Her voice is soft.

Rachel takes a couple steps towards the crib and looks down at Beth. Beth's dirty blonde hair is all over the place. She's wearing soft pink pajamas. She's clutching a brown teddy bear in her little hand.

"What do you need?" Rachel asks.

"Mommy," Beth replies.

Rachel hesitates for a second.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Rachel asks.

Beth shakes her head and sticks her pouty lower lip out. "Where's Mommy?" Beth asks.

Rachel sighs. "Mommy is sleeping. You have to be quiet so you don't wake her up," Rachel tells her.

Beth thinks for a few seconds. "I'm hungry, Rachel," Beth says.

Rachel picks Beth up out of the crib. She starts to put her down on the floor, but Beth shakes her head and wraps her arms around Rachel. Rachel winces when Beth's little leg touches where she has stitches. Rachel carries Beth downstairs and puts her down at the kitchen table. And then, Rachel opens the pantry and stares at the food blankly. She realizes that she has no idea what Beth would eat. Does Beth eat baby food? Or, normal food?

"What do you usually eat?" Rachel asks.

"Cereal," Beth replies.

"Cereal. Okay," Rachel mutters under her breath.

Cereal is easy enough. As she scans the pantry for cereal boxes, she notices her favorite vegan snack…pop chips. She's a little surprised, and a whole lot touched. She wonders when Shelby had the time to go out and buy vegan food.

"The good cereal. Not the bad cereal," Beth yells.

Chuckling, Rachel wonders what kind of cereal is _"bad."_ She grabs a box of Cheerios and holds it up for Beth to see.

"Yeah, that kind," Beth says.

Rachel opens a kitchen cabinet at random looking for bowls. Of course, the bowls are in the last cabinet she looks in. She pours Beth a bowl of cereal and puts it down in front of her.

"Do you, um, need help? Or can you…eat by yourself?" Rachel asks.

Beth looks insulted. "No, I can do it," Beth insists.

As Beth eats, Rachel looks for something that she can eat. A search of the kitchen reveals that Shelby didn't stop at pop chips. No, it looks like Shelby bought all her favorite foods. When she joins Beth at the table, Beth stares at her plate with a disgusted look on her face.

"Um, Rachel, what is that?" Beth asks.

"Tofu scramble with soy cheese, salsa and avocado. It's so good," Rachel replies. "Do you want to try it?" Rachel asks.

Wrinkling her nose, Beth shakes her head.

Now, it's Rachel's turn to look insulted.

"Rachel, I'm thirsty," Beth tells her.

Rachel sets her fork down on her plate and stands up. She goes to the refrigerator and scans the beverages.

"Do you want milk or juice?" Rachel asks.

"Milk," Beth replies.

Rachel gets the milk carton out of the refrigerator and sets it down on the kitchen counter. She remembers seeing glasses in the cabinet over the kitchen sink when she was looking for bowls. Opening it, she sees tall plastic glasses and little plastic sippy cups. She holds a sippy cup up for Beth to see.

"Is this your glass?" Rachel asks.

"Yes," Beth replies.

The response is automatic. And then, Beth seems to think better of it.

"I mean, no. I can drink out of a big glass like you," Beth says.

Rachel hesitates for a few seconds. She doesn't believe Beth, but she doesn't think it can hurt to give Beth a tall glass. She's a little flattered that Beth wants to be like her. So, she pours milk into a tall glass and puts the glass in front of Beth before sitting back down.

Rachel takes a bite of her breakfast. She looks up just in time to see Beth spill her glass of milk all over the kitchen table. As Rachel jumps up to get some paper towels, Beth starts crying. Running back to the table with paper towels, Rachel tries to calm Beth down.

"Beth, don't cry! It's okay," Rachel says.

Beth stares at Rachel for a second. The little girl's face is red and scrunched up. It looks like she's trying to decide whether she should keep crying or not. She stops crying and her expression slowly changes. Rachel breathes a sigh of relief.

For the next few minutes, they finish their breakfast in silence. Beth feels bad about spilling the milk. After the crying, Rachel is grateful for the silence. Beth only breaks the silence when she's ready to get down.

"Rachel, I'm done," Beth says.

Rachel helps Beth out of her chair. Beth practically runs towards the living room. Rachel follows close behind. Beth grabs the remote control. As she pushes buttons at random, she looks up at the TV screen. Frustrated, she frowns when the TV doesn't turn on.

"Do you want help?" Rachel asks.

Rachel reaches for the remote, but Beth holds on tight.

"No! I can do it," Beth insists. Her voice comes out whiny.

Rachel sits down on the couch and watches as Beth continues to push buttons at random until she finally gets frustrated and throws the remote down on the floor. Rachel picks the remote up, turns the TV on, and finds the Disney channel.

It takes a moment for the catchy theme song to catch Beth's attention. Beth stares at the animated characters on the screen and slowly walks towards the TV until she's standing right in front of it.

After a few minutes, Beth runs towards the couch. Rachel helps Beth up. Beth sits on the edge of her seat, watching the show. For the next half hour, Beth goes back and forth between standing in front of the TV and watching from the couch. Every once in awhile, she tells Rachel what's happening on the show or asks why the cartoon character is doing that.

As a new cartoon starts, Beth finally seems to get tired. Beth gets closer to Rachel until she's leaning against Rachel. Rachel looks down at Beth. Beth looks like she can barely keep her eyes open. Just when Rachel thinks Beth is asleep, Beth starts talking.

"Rachel, you look like Mommy," Beth says. It comes out as a sleepy mumble.

Caught off guard, Rachel stares at Beth. Yes, Rachel looks like Shelby. And, Beth looks like Quinn. It's peculiar to be sitting on her mother's couch next to Quinn's daughter. She closes her eyes and sees flashes of Quinn…calling her "_Man Hands_," punching her in Carmel High's auditorium. Trying to keep in mind that Beth is Puck's daughter, too, Rachel eyes find Beth's. But, she can't see the warm hazel eyes that are Puck's because Beth's eyes are closed.

"You look like your mom, too. She's very pretty and so are you," Rachel says.

Upstairs, Shelby wakes up feeling well rested. She usually wakes up wishing Beth would let her sleep for just five more minutes. There's light coming in from the edges of her curtains. It's usually still dark out when Beth wakes up. Shelby's eyes go to the clock on her nightstand. It's 8:12 am. Beth has never once slept later than 7:00 am. Something doesn't feel right.

Shelby jumps up and hurries to the nursery. When she sees the empty crib, figuring out that Rachel got Beth out of her crib isn't that difficult. Rachel barely interacted with Beth on her first day in Shelby's house. Shelby can't decide if she's grateful for Rachel letting her sleep in or worried that Rachel and Beth are alone. Shelby walks downstairs nervously.

Halfway down, Shelby sees Rachel sitting on the couch talking away to a sleeping Beth. Beth is lying on the couch with her head in Rachel's lap. The little girl looks so peaceful. And, Shelby thinks for a moment maybe Rachel and Beth can be real sisters. Then, she hears what Rachel is saying.

"…And she has a good voice. But, your mom is so mean," Rachel says.

Hurt, Shelby frowns.

"Don't be like her. Be like your dad. He has such a good heart," Rachel continues.

And that's when Shelby realizes that Rachel isn't talking about _her_. Rachel is talking about _Quinn_. Wondering if Rachel mentioned Quinn when Beth was awake, Shelby exhales deeply.

"Did you tell her about Quinn and Noah?" Shelby asks. The question comes out as more of an accusation.

Rachel's attention shifts from Beth to Shelby.

"No," Rachel says quickly.

Shelby's expression tells her that she's hesitant to believe her.

"Well, yes, but not when she was awake," Rachel says.

"Are you sure she was asleep?" Shelby asks.

Rachel nods her head.

Shelby breathes a sigh of relief.

"I guess you're not going to tell her?" Rachel guesses. Her tone is disapproving.

Buried underneath the disapproval is pain. Because, it's not just Quinn and Puck that Shelby isn't going to tell Beth about. It's Rachel, too.

"I don't know," Shelby replies.

Shelby's indecision about something that's so important brings out Rachel's anger. Anger about the decision her fathers made sixteen years ago. The contract that kept her mother away for fifteen years. It would have been eighteen if Shelby hadn't broken the contract. Anger that her dads never told her about her mother. Rachel had a right to know. And, now, Shelby is going to do the same exact thing to Beth. The only difference is that Shelby didn't want to be in Rachel's life and Puck wants to be in Beth's so much.

"You should tell her," Rachel says. Her tone is self-righteous.

Shelby looks at Rachel with raised eyebrows.

Rachel averts her eyes. "I didn't know who you were. I always wanted to know, but I didn't want to ask because I didn't want to hurt my dads' feelings," Rachel says.

It takes a few seconds for Rachel's words to register. Shelby already knows that Rachel never asked about her. Hiram made sure she knew. But, she didn't understand _why_ Rachel never asked about her. Now, suddenly it makes sense. Rachel wanted to know who her mother was. She just didn't want to hurt her dads' feelings. The revelation makes Shelby feel a little less guilty, and a lot more hopeful.

"I was so angry and upset when I found out about the contract. I felt like my dads had been lying to me my entire life. If you don't tell her and she finds out from someone else, it will be ten times worse," Rachel says.

Shelby knows Rachel is right. If Quinn or Puck decides they want to meet Beth, Shelby won't be able to stop them. Just like Hiram and Leroy couldn't stop her. Nothing would have stopped her from meeting Rachel once she made up her mind. But, Shelby's afraid that if Beth knows the truth, she won't think of Shelby as her real mom anymore. Shelby missed out on her chance to raise Rachel. She can't have any more kids. Beth is her one and only chance at being a mom, having a family.

"I don't want to lie to her. But, I'm her mom. Quinn's not her mom. I'm just afraid that if Beth knows Quinn is her mother, she won't think of me as her real mom anymore," Shelby says.

"Do you think that just because I met you, I don't think of my dads as my parents anymore?" Rachel asks.

Shelby stares at Rachel for a second and then looks down and shakes her head. "No," Shelby replies.

"What makes you think Beth will be any different?" Rachel asks.

"I don't know," Shelby says.

Rachel looks directly at her mother. She raises her eyebrows and narrows her eyes. It's a knowing look that lasts until Shelby admits that Rachel is right.

Shelby sighs slowly and looks away. "You're right. I'll tell her when she's older," Shelby says.

Rachel takes a deep breath and averts her eyes. "Are you ever going to tell her who I am?" Rachel asks.

Shelby smiles faintly. "You know, she was asking about you yesterday and I really wanted to tell her that you're my daughter, but I think it would be too confusing for her right now. I am gonna tell her. In a while," Shelby says.

From what Rachel saw yesterday, it sure didn't look like Shelby wanted to tell Beth that Rachel was her daughter. Rachel can't hide her surprise.

"I think she would figure it out. You kind of look like me," Shelby points out. Her tone is half-serious, half-teasing.

Rachel smiles a little and looks down at Beth. "She told me that I look like you before she fell asleep," Rachel tells her.

"How long have you guys been awake?" Shelby asks.

"A few hours," Rachel replies.

"Did she wake you up?" Shelby asks.

"No. I was already awake when I heard her crying," Rachel replies.

"Rachel, you didn't have to get her," Shelby says.

"It's okay," Rachel says.

"Well, thank you," Shelby says. She's genuinely grateful. "I think this is the first time I've slept in since I've had her," Shelby says. Her tone is light.

Shelby manages to pick Beth up without waking her up.

"I'm gonna take her up to her room and then I'll make you breakfast," Shelby says.

Shelby carries Beth upstairs and puts her down in her crib before she goes back downstairs.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Shelby asks.

"I already ate," Rachel tells her.

Shelby's face falls. "Oh. Okay," Shelby mutters.

"I saw that you bought Vegan food. Thank you," Rachel says.

Shelby smiles and nods.

"I made tofu scramble with soy cheese, salsa and avocado. I didn't eat it all. You can have some…if you want some," Rachel says.

Shelby intended to cook Rachel breakfast. This wasn't the plan. Shelby's the mother, and Rachel's the daughter. Of course, they're not a normal mother and daughter, but still. Shouldn't it be the other way around? It's not what Shelby wanted, but it could be worse. Rachel could be holed up in the guest room instead of down there with her. Or, Rachel could be with her, but barely speaking to her. This is a start. So, Shelby goes into the kitchen and dishes up a plate. She opts to eat in the living room with Rachel instead of in the kitchen.

Rachel smiles when she sees that Shelby is eating her cooking.

"Beth wouldn't even try it," Rachel tells her.

Shelby can't help but laugh as she imagines Beth's face when Rachel tried to convince her to eat this. If it's not Spaghetti-O's, Macaroni and Cheese, cheese pizza, cheese quesadillas or chicken nuggets, Beth won't touch it.

"She doesn't eat anything," Shelby says.

Shelby takes a couple bites. She's never had Vegan food before. It's different, but it's not bad.

"How are both my daughters such picky eaters?" Shelby asks.

"You're not a picky eater?" Rachel asks.

Shelby shakes her head. "No. I practically lived on Ramen noodles when I was in New York," Shelby says.

"How long were you in New York?" Rachel asks.

"Two years," Shelby replies.

"I can't believe you came back. When I graduate, I'm going to New York and I'm never coming back," Rachel says.

Shelby smiles faintly. "I didn't plan on coming back either. I thought I would make it," Shelby tells her.

"Was it too hard to stay there when you didn't make it?" Rachel asks.

"No. That's not why I left. I love New York, but the cost of living is so high. I was tired of never having any money," Shelby explains.

Rachel doesn't know what to say, so she looks down.

The awkward silence is broken when a new cartoon starts. The theme song is obnoxiously loud. Shelby looks over at the TV.

"What _is_ this?" Shelby asks.

Rachel shrugs. "The Disney channel. I thought Beth would like it," Rachel replies.

"Beth's not here anymore. I think we can probably watch something else," Shelby says. Her tone is teasing.

Rachel picks the remote control up off the coffee table and flips through the channels. She sighs slowly when she sees nothing but news, talk shows and cartoons.

"There's nothing on," Rachel complains.

"We can watch a movie," Shelby suggests.

"Okay," Rachel agrees.

"What do you want to watch?" Shelby asks.

"I don't know what you have…" Rachel says.

"I have pretty much every movie ever made," Shelby tells her.

"Scary movies are my favorite," Rachel says.

Shelby's eyes widen in surprise. If she'd had to guess Rachel's favorite movie, she would have guessed wrong. _Funny Girl_ would have been her first guess. It reminds her how little she really knows about her daughter. Sure, she knows Rachel's vocal range, but she doesn't know any of the important things like her daughter's favorite movie or favorite color. She doesn't know Rachel any better than any of her students. She gets upset for a moment.

Rachel interprets Shelby's silence as a sign that Shelby isn't excited about watching a horror movie.

"It doesn't have to be a scary movie. _Almost Famous_ is one of my favorite movies," Rachel adds.

"That's one of my favorites, too," Shelby says.

Shelby walks over to the entertainment center and scans her DVD collection. She grabs _Almost Famous_ and puts it in the DVD player. Sitting back down, Shelby looks over at Rachel and smiles. They're still a little bit uncomfortable around each other, but they can sit back, relax and watch a movie.

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone that reviewed!


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

******A/N: **Thank you to everyone that reviewed.

Watching _Almost Famous_, Shelby and Rachel manage to go over an hour without incident. In fact, they're actually having fun. Rachel provides a running commentary throughout the movie.

"Did you know Kirsten Dunst almost got the part of Penny Lane?" Rachel asks.

Shelby stares at Rachel in disbelief, and then wrinkles her nose. "I can't see anyone besides Kate Hudson in the role," Shelby says.

"Me either," Rachel says.

"It was one of Kate Hudson's better movies. Now she always does those cheesy romantic comedies," Shelby says.

"I know! I don't know why she chooses those!" Rachel agrees. She stares at the TV. "She's so pretty," Rachel says.

"She looks just like her mom," Shelby says.

Rachel studies Kate Hudson for a second. "Yeah, she does," Rachel says.

"Isn't she pregnant?" Shelby asks.

"Yes. The baby is going to have great genes. The dad is a singer, so the baby will be able to act and sing," Rachel replies.

"What band is he in?" Shelby asks.

"_Muse_," Rachel replies.

"They're good," Shelby says.

"Yeah…Billy Crudup didn't know how to play the guitar. He learned for the concert scenes," Rachel tells Shelby.

Shelby smiles a little. "You can tell," Shelby says.

They're both so focused on the movie that they're not thinking about everything that has happened between them in the last year. The tension fades away. The conversation is easy. When the movie is almost over, Shelby wishes it didn't have to end. Because, when it ends, her daughter will stop talking animatedly to her. She's never seen Rachel so relaxed. Her thoughts are interrupted when Beth wakes up and starts calling for her.

"I think I hear Beth," Shelby mutters.

When Shelby gets up and walks towards the staircase, Rachel pauses the movie. After a few minutes, Rachel starts to get impatient. Ten minutes later, Rachel sighs and pushes the play button. She should probably be grateful. She had a little over an hour alone with her mother. She enjoyed Shelby's company more than she thought she would. But, it was borrowed time. She's only there because her dads are out of town. And, Shelby was only watching a movie with Rachel because her real daughter was sleeping.

As Rachel watches the movie alone, Shelby helps Beth get dressed and brushes her hair. She carries Beth downstairs. By the time she reaches the foot of the stairs, Beth is shifting in her arms, anxious to get down. Shelby puts her down and she practically runs towards Rachel.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Beth asks.

Rachel looks at Beth. "We _were_ watching a movie," Rachel mutters. There's a hint of resentment in her voice.

"What movie?" Beth asks.

Shelby walks over to the couch and sits down next to Rachel. "Oh, Beth, you wouldn't like it," Shelby tells her.

Beth frowns in thought. "Were you watching _Tangled_?" Beth asks.

"No," Rachel replies.

"Oh. 'Cause I don't like it. It's scary," Beth says.

Rachel stares at Beth. Beth couldn't even sit still for a TV show. Somehow she doesn't think Beth could sit through a whole movie.

"Did you see _Tangled_?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah," Beth replies.

Rachel shifts her focus to Shelby. "You took her to a movie?" Rachel asks incredulously.

Beth looks insulted. "Yes!" Beth says.

Shelby looks at Rachel and rolls her eyes. "Yes. I made the mistake of taking her to a movie. She was more interested in the popcorn than the actual movie. And I think we spent more time in the bathroom than in the theater," Shelby tells Rachel.

"What should we do now?" Beth asks.

Beth looks around the room. Spotting her coloring books and crayons on the coffee table, Beth turns around and slides off the couch. A few swift steps bring her close enough to grab her coloring books and the box of crayons.

"I know! We should color!" Beth cries out, excited. She turns to look at Rachel. "Rachel, will you color with me?" Beth asks.

Rachel looks at the TV screen for a second and sighs. She wants to watch the rest of the movie. But, she doesn't want to say no. She can only imagine what Shelby would think of her if she refused to color with the little girl. She reluctantly gets up and follows Beth to the kitchen table.

Rachel carefully colors the picture of the Little Mermaid swimming that Beth told her to color. Beth scribbles different colored lines all over her own picture. Shelby walks by the table on her way into the kitchen. She stops, looks at the finished pictures, looks at Beth and smiles.

"I can guess which ones you did," Shelby says.

Beth looks up at her. "No, you can't," Beth argues.

Shelby tries not to laugh. She stares at the finished pictures for a second. She picks up Beth's.

"I think this is yours," Shelby says.

Beth stared at Shelby with wide eyes and frowns. "How did you know?" Beth demands.

"I'm really smart," Shelby says. She catches Rachel's eye and smiles before focusing on Beth. "Can I put it on the refrigerator?" Shelby asks.

A grin comes across Beth's face. "Yes," Beth says.

Shelby walks over to the refrigerator and puts Beth's picture on it with a magnet.

"What do you guys want for lunch?" Shelby calls.

"Mac'roni and cheese!" Beth replies.

"What do you want, Rachel?" Shelby asks.

"You don't have to make me anything," Rachel says.

"I want to," Shelby says.

"I guess I'll have salad. I'm not that hungry," Rachel says.

Shelby smiles. "That's what I'm having, too," Shelby says.

While Beth's Macaroni cooks on the stove, Shelby makes a salad for her and Rachel. She takes a plate out and puts it down in front of Rachel.

"Thanks," Rachel says.

Shelby goes back into the kitchen. A few minutes later she returns with her plate and a bowl of Macaroni and Cheese for Beth. Shelby notices that Rachel is picking at her food.

"What's wrong? Is your stomach still upset?" Shelby asks.

"No. I just had a big breakfast so I'm not that hungry," Rachel replies.

"You need to eat something. If you take medicine on an empty stomach, your stomach _will_ be upset," Shelby tells her.

Rachel takes a few more bites of her salad, but can't finish it.

"So how long have you been a vegan?" Shelby asks.

"Since I was twelve," Rachel replies.

Shelby stares at Rachel with raised eyebrows. "Were your dads vegan?" Shelby asks.

"No. They only eat vegan food when they're trying to lose weight. It's really healthy," Rachel replies

Shelby bites her bottom lip. "Is that why you decided to become a vegan?" Shelby asks.

"No. I didn't want to eat animal products because I fully support animal rights. The fact that it's healthy is just an added bonus," Rachel replies.

"Do you guys always cook two meals? Something vegan for you and something else for your dads?" Shelby asks.

Rachel shakes her head. "We never cook. We always get take out. My dads work late and I'm usually at Glee," Rachel says.

Beth has only been half-paying attention, but she picks up on _my dads_. Frowning, she looks up at Rachel.

"Don't you mean your dad?" Beth asks.

"No. My dads both work late," Rachel says.

"But how can you have two dads?" Beth asks.

"Um, I…" Rachel trails off.

Rachel looks at Shelby. It's a silent plea for help.

Shelby sighs. "Beth, not everyone has a mommy and a daddy, remember? You just have a mom. And Rachel has two dads," Shelby says.

_And no mom_, Rachel thinks.

Thinking hard, Beth bites her bottom lip. "Then could someone have two mommies?" Beth asks.

"Yes," Shelby replies.

After lunch, Rachel plays with Beth while Shelby does the dishes. Rachel Berry has a lot of energy. But, even she doesn't have as much energy as an eighteen month old. An hour of playing with Beth leaves Rachel completely exhausted. So, Rachel takes a few Tylenol and goes upstairs to take a nap.

About an hour after Rachel falls asleep, Shelby puts Beth down for a nap. Shelby is sitting on the couch reading when the doorbell rings. She looks at the staircase. She doesn't hear Beth crying or calling out for her. She breathes a sigh of relief. She goes to the door before the doorbell rings again. She's surprised to see Puck standing on her doorstep. He has a lot of nerve showing up there after he told Rachel what happened between them at the hospital. She fights the urge to slam the door in his face.

"Noah, what are you doing here?" Shelby asks.

"We just got out of rehearsal. I wanted to see Rachel before I go back to Lima," Puck replies.

"Sorry. Rachel's sleeping," Shelby says.

She doesn't sound one bit sorry. She starts to shut the door, but Puck quickly sticks his foot out so she can't shut the door.

"I'll wait," Puck tells her.

Shelby closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. If she kicks him out, he'll just tell Rachel.

"Fine," Shelby mutters.

She turns around and walks back to the couch. Puck follows her. He stops at the threshold of the living room. He just stands there, staring at Beth's things. There's a children's book on the coffee table. There are a few stray toys on the floor. From the living room, he can see Beth's high chair in the kitchen. This is where she lives. Her home. He tries to imagine her there, but he can't. He doesn't even know what she looks like. Does she have Quinn's blonde hair, or his brown hair? How big is she?

He sees pictures on the mantle above the fireplace across the room. He walks over there. There's a picture of Vocal Adrenaline at Nationals last year after they won. There's a picture of Shelby and a man that looks like her. Then, he sees a picture of his daughter. And he has his answer. Beth looks like Quinn. She has Quinn's blonde hair and fair skin.

Puck picks the picture up and stares at it for a few seconds. It looks like it was taken by a professional photographer. Shelby is sitting in a chair holding Beth. Beth is wearing a pretty white dress. Beth is grinning. It's an almost mischievous smile. And it makes Puck wonder if his daughter acts more like him than Quinn. He shakes his head and puts the picture back.

The whole time Puck is looking around, Shelby watches him nervously.

"Is she…here?" Puck asks.

"She's sleeping, too," Shelby mutters.

Standing in Shelby's living room, Puck stares at the staircase that leads to his daughter's bedroom. It feels like Beth is so close, yet so far. Nervous about what he's about to say, he turns to face Shelby.

"I was wondering if I could see her," Puck says.

Shelby can't believe he's asking her that the day after he told _her_ daughter what she said in the hospital, so she mocks the request.

"Are you kidding me?" Shelby says.

It's not an answer. It's a rhetoric question. But, Puck knows what it means. It means there's no way in hell she's going to let him see his daughter. He feels like an idiot because he thought there was a chance that she would understand his want…no, his need to see his daughter. But, he doesn't give up without a fight. So, he looks directly at Shelby and tries one more time.

"Come on! You can relate. You want to be Rachel's mom," Puck says.

Shelby just stares at him. "Yeah, I want to be her mom. You _know_ how much I want to be her mom and you _still_ told her what I said to you in the hospital," Shelby says. Her tone is accusatory. There's a hint of anger in her voice. "Do you think Rachel wanted to bond with me after you told her what I said?" Shelby asks. From her tone, it's clear Rachel didn't. "Now you want me to do you a favor? Seriously?" Shelby says. Her tone is disbelieving. Incredulous.

But, he didn't tell Rachel what Shelby said in the hospital. All he did was tell Rachel to ask Shelby what happened while she was sleeping. Puck's confusion slowly turns into anger.

"What? Look, I just told her to ask you what happened while she was sleeping. That's all. It's not my fault if she doesn't want to bond with you!" Puck yells.

Shelby wonders if she can believe him. Yes, Rachel asked her what she said to Puck in the hospital. But, maybe it was just an innocent question. Maybe Rachel didn't know the answer to her question when she asked it. But, it didn't sound like an innocent question. Rachel looked and sounded angry.

"You didn't tell her what I said?" Shelby asks. There's a hint of doubt in her voice.

Puck shakes his head. "No," Puck replies.

"Then why was she angry?" Shelby asks.

"Yeah, she's angry, but she's not as angry as she is hurt," Puck says.

Shelby knows she's hurt her daughter before. But, she can't think of anything she did to hurt Rachel yesterday. What did she do?

"Hurt? Why?" Shelby asks.

Now it's Puck's turn to be incredulous that she doesn't have any idea why Rachel's hurt. After all, Shelby is the reason for Rachel's pain. Puck wants to ask Shelby how stupid she is. But, he knows that won't help Rachel. He doesn't think he should be the one to tell Shelby why Rachel feels the way she feels. But, he doesn't know if Rachel will ever tell Shelby exactly how she feels. And, Shelby can't apologize if she doesn't know what she's apologizing for. Personally, he thinks they're both being stupid. He sighs slowly.

Puck looks straight into Shelby's eyes. There's an _are-you-serious_ kind of look on his face. "Well, you told her you weren't her mom," Puck says. His tone is self-righteous. Disapproving. There's just a hint of sarcasm.

Shelby knows exactly to what he is referring. She closes her eyes and remembers the scene in McKinley High's auditorium. She didn't intend to hurt her daughter. She _never_ intended to hurt her daughter. She was simply stating the painful fact that she was Rachel's mother, but she wasn't her mom. Rachel seemed to agree at the time.

"I didn't mean to hurt her," Shelby says.

"Yeah, well, you did. And to make matters worse, she thinks you don't want Beth to know that she's your daughter," Puck mutters.

Shelby stares at him with wide eyes. "What?" Shelby says.

Looking directly at Shelby, Puck nods his head slowly.

"I need to talk to her," Shelby says.

As if on cue, Rachel walks down the stairs. When she sees Puck, a grin comes across her face.

"Noah, what are you doing here?" Rachel asks.

"We just got out of rehearsal. I wanted to see you," Puck replies.

"I'm glad you're here," Rachel says.

"How glad?" Puck asks. His tone is teasing.

A few steps close the distance between them. Rachel stands on her tiptoes and kisses Puck. The kiss catches him off guard. It only takes a second for him to react.

Shelby watches in shock. It's nothing she hasn't seen before. But, she didn't expect to see it again. Last she heard, Rachel broke up with Puck. Now, all of a sudden, they're making out in her living room.

After several seconds, Puck and Rachel part. With her hands in his, Puck looks at Rachel.

"Are you feeling better?" Puck asks.

"Much better. I'm going back to rehearsal tomorrow," Rachel replies.

"What?" Shelby says.

Rachel looks over at Shelby. "I'm going back to rehearsal tomorrow," Rachel repeats.

"You just got out of the hospital," Shelby reminds her.

"I got out of the hospital yesterday morning. It will be two days," Rachel says.

Knowing they're about to fight, Puck decides it's time to leave.

"I just wanted to see you before I go back to Lima. I should go," Puck says.

"But you just got here," Rachel says.

"_I_ got here awhile ago. _You_ just got up," Puck says. His tone is teasing. "Besides, my mom's working tonight. I have to get Sarah dinner," Puck tells her.

"Oh. Okay," Rachel says.

As Puck heads towards the door, Shelby hesitates for a second. She feels a wave of gratitude to him. He helped her with her daughter. She figures the least she could do is help him with his. Her voice stops him when he's halfway out the door.

"Noah!" Shelby calls.

Puck stops and turns around to face her.

"You can see Beth. You can come over here this weekend and meet her," Shelby says.

At first, Puck thinks he's hearing things. Not an hour ago, Shelby had no intention of letting him within ten feet of Beth. And, now, she's inviting him over. Somehow, he knows why she had a sudden change of heart. It's her way of saying thank you. And not just saying thank you. But, also evening the score. He doesn't care why she's doing it. All he cares about is that he gets to see his daughter. He shares a look with Shelby. She knows exactly how much this means to him.

As Puck leaves, Shelby turns to face Rachel. She can't take back what she said in McKinley High's auditorium over a year ago. The best she can do is try to explain what she meant. It's not that she didn't want to be Rachel's mom. Because she does. It's just that she didn't know her daughter at all. They have to make peace with the past so they can move forward. And then, Shelby has to be Rachel's mom. She has to tell Rachel that she is not going to rehearsal.

"Can I talk to you?" Shelby asks.


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Rachel doesn't know what just happened between her mother and Puck. Just that morning, Shelby didn't even want Beth to know about Puck. And, now Shelby's inviting Puck to come over and meet Beth. The invitation was completely unexpected. Rachel smiles hesitantly at the unexpected act of kindness.

"That was really nice of you. You don't know how much it means to him," Rachel says.

Shelby knows exactly how much it means to him. Because she knows how much it would mean to her if Rachel gave her another chance.

"Oh, I think I do," Shelby says.

From Shelby's tone, Rachel can tell Shelby really believes that. And, Rachel gets irritated that her mother is comparing herself with Puck. Puck didn't want to give Beth up. It was Quinn's decision. And, if Puck has a chance to be in Puck's life, Rachel knows he'll take it.

"He's not like you," Rachel says. There's just a hint of anger in her tone.

"He wants the same thing that I do. He wants his daughter back," Shelby says.

"He's not like you," Rachel repeats. This time, her voice is louder. Firm. "_He_ wanted to keep her. _You_ planned on giving me up. _He_ really wants to get to know Beth. _You_ wanted to get to know me one second, and the next you were saying goodbye," Rachel says.

Shelby sighs slowly. "I didn't _plan_ on keeping you, but that doesn't mean I never _wanted_ to keep you. I did. _So_ much," Shelby says. She takes a deep breath and looks directly into her daughter's eyes. "I do want to get to know you," Shelby says.

From Rachel's expression, it's clear she's hesitant to believe Shelby. Rachel doesn't know what to believe, how to feel. It sure didn't seem like Shelby wanted to get to know her last year. After just weeks of knowing her, Shelby said goodbye. Shelby walked away without so much as a look back. Rachel wonders if she ever would have seen her mother again had she not transferred to Carmel High. Somehow she doesn't think so. And, even when Rachel transferred, Shelby wasn't exactly happy that she was there. For months, Shelby didn't talk to her unless she absolutely had to. Now, suddenly Shelby wants to get to know her. Why now? Why not before? Rachel averts her eyes.

"If you really wanted to get to know me, you wouldn't have said goodbye when we met," Rachel mutters.

"I shouldn't have done that," Shelby says.

"Then why did you?" Rachel demands. The anger she wants to control seeps out as bitterness.

Shelby looks down for a second and then looks at Rachel nervously. She fidgets as she answers.

"When I told you that I was your mother but I wasn't your mom, it wasn't because I didn't _want_ to be your mom. It was because I didn't think I _could_ be your mom. I've missed so much," Shelby says.

Staring straight ahead, Shelby has tears in her eyes, but she won't cry. She swallows a lump in the back of her throat. After a moment of silence, she looks at Rachel and smiles sadly.

"You're my daughter, but I don't know you," Shelby says.

"I really want to get to know you, too," Rachel says. She looks up and meets her mother's eyes. "But how long are you going to want to get to know me for this time?" Rachel asks.

Shelby walks closer to Rachel. She wants to pull her daughter into a hug. But, Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest. Her stance is closed off. So, Shelby stops just a foot away from her and looks directly into her eyes.

"Rachel, I have _always_ wanted to get to know you. I just don't think either of us was ready last year," Shelby says.

"I was ready," Rachel tells her.

Shelby stares at her with raised eyebrows. "Were you really?" Shelby asks. Her tone is challenging.

Standing her ground with her arms crossed over her chest, Rachel nods her head.

"You know, when we met, I asked you how you felt and you said you were thirsty…because you were sad," Shelby reminds her.

The self-righteous indignation in Rachel's stance disappears and she looks down. She was unprepared. She'd gone to Carmel High to spy on Vocal Adrenaline. Reuniting with her mother was not part of the plan. When she realized Vocal Adrenaline's coach _was_ her mother, she was completely shocked. After she snapped out of the initial shock, a powerful flood of emotions hit her. It was chaos. And, yes, confusion and sadness rose to the top of the swirl of emotions inside her.

"Your dads told me that you talked to a therapist about me," Shelby continues.

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. "Why did they tell you that?" Rachel mutters.

"Because they wanted me to realize how wrong I was when I broke the contract, how much I hurt you. I'm so sorry, Rachel," Shelby says.

It's a genuine apology. Not only for breaking the contract. But also, for how she behaved after she broke the contract. The three words _"I'm so sorry"_ don't change what happened. Shelby can't take back what she said last year. Still, Rachel knows how hard it was for Shelby to apologize. She's stubborn just like her mother. Even when Rachel knows she's messed up, it's always been hard for her to admit when she's wrong. So, when she apologizes, she really means it.

"I know," Rachel says. "So what now?" Rachel asks.

"It's not too late to get to know each other," Shelby points out.

Rachel smiles faintly and nods.

Shelby smiles. Remembering that Rachel wants to go to rehearsal tomorrow, her smiles fades away and she looks at Rachel nervously. She just made peace with her daughter. The last thing she wants to do is disturb that peace. But, she knows she can't let Rachel go to rehearsal. Not as her coach. And, not as her mother.

"And we'll have time to do that this week. You're not going back to rehearsal tomorrow," Shelby says.

"The only reason I stayed here is so that I could go to rehearsal. Nationals is next week," Rachel reminds her.

"And you can go back to rehearsal next week," Shelby tells her.

"The doctor only said I needed to rest for a few days! Not an entire week!" Rachel cries out.

"I don't think she meant two days when she said a few days," Shelby says.

"Oh, but you think she meant seven? Seven is a lot more than a few!" Rachel cries out.

Shelby remembers the last time she told Rachel that she couldn't rehearse. Rachel's broken nose was still healing, and Rachel wanted to dance. It escalated into a battle of wills. Of course, Shelby won. She knows she can win this battle as well, but at what cost? If Rachel is angry, she'll go back to spending all her time alone in the guest room. Their bonding will be over before it even begins. Shelby takes a deep breath and proposes a compromise that they can both live with.

"Okay, you want to go back to rehearsal tomorrow, and I don't want you to go back until next week. How about we compromise? You'll go for half of the rehearsal on Friday?" Shelby suggests.

"Fine," Rachel mutters.

Shelby smiles at having successfully delayed Rachel's return to rehearsal without it turning into a war. Now that the conversation she was dreading is out of the way, there's something she's curious about.

"Did you and Noah get back together?" Shelby asks.

"Yeah," Rachel replies.

"When did that happen?" Shelby asks.

"When we were at dinner last night," Rachel replies.

"Why didn't you say anything then?" Shelby wonders.

"Why would I have?" Rachel asks.

"I asked you how dinner was," Shelby reminds her.

"I was angry and hurt. I didn't feel like talking to you," Rachel explains.

"Well, do you feel like talking to me now?" Shelby asks. Her tone is half-teasing, half-serious.

Rachel smiles a little. "When I broke up with Noah, I didn't think I could ever trust him again. After everything he did the night of the accident, I do trust him. I told him that I wanted to get back together, and he really wanted to get back together, too," Rachel says. Her smile fades and she looks at Shelby nervously. "Look, I know you don't like him, but…"

But, Rachel doesn't get a chance to finish that thought.

"I like him just fine," Shelby says.

"No, you don't," Rachel scoffs.

"Look, Noah's not really a good kid, but…"

But, Shelby doesn't get a chance to finish that sentence.

"That's not true!" Rachel cuts in.

Shelby stares at her with raised eyebrows. "Rachel, come on! He got expelled from McKinley. You can't seriously think he's a good kid," Shelby says.

"I knew you didn't like him!" Rachel says. Her tone is accusatory.

"As I said, I like him just fine. He's _not_ really a good kid. _But_, he clearly cares about you," Shelby says.

Rachel is taken aback by Shelby's words. She wonders what happened between her mother and Puck. Before the accident, Shelby made it clear that she did not think Rachel should get back together with him. So, Rachel expected her mother to try to convince her that she was making a mistake. She didn't expect this. A hesitant smile comes across her face.

Their conversation comes to an end when Beth wakes up and starts calling for Shelby. While Shelby makes dinner, Rachel plays with Beth in the living room. When dinner is ready, they all sit down around the kitchen table. Rachel smiles at the sight of her favorite vegan meal. Shelby notices and almost pats herself on the back for finally doing something right.

"How'd you know that this is my favorite?" Rachel asks.

"A little bird told me," Shelby replies.

Rachel rolls her eyes at the answer and takes a bite.

"This is really good," Rachel says.

"I'm glad you like it," Shelby says.

"My dads can't cook," Rachel tells her.

"It's a guy thing. My brother can't even boil water," Shelby says.

Rachel drops her fork and stares at her mother. "Your brother?" Rachel asks.

Shelby nods her head.

"I always just thought you were an only child," Rachel says.

Shelby shakes her head. "I have an older brother," Shelby tells her.

"Does he live here?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah. He lives about thirty minutes away," Shelby replies. She puts her fork down and looks at Rachel. "Beth is staying with him when we go to New York. You can meet him if you want," Shelby tells her.

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. "He…knows about me?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah," Shelby replies slowly.

"I didn't think you told anyone about me," Rachel says.

"What? Did you think no one saw me for the entire nine months that I was pregnant?" Shelby asks.

From the blush creeping across Rachel's cheeks, it's clear that's exactly what she thought. Shelby smirks at Rachel's reaction.

"Well, I didn't," Shelby says. Her tone is teasing.

"Did he support your decision?" Rachel asks.

"He understood," Shelby replies. "He had to take out student loans for college and med school. He graduated with a mountain of debt," Shelby tells her.

"Does he want to meet me?" Rachel asks.

"I'm sure he does," Shelby replies.

"I have an uncle," Rachel murmurs.

"And an aunt and three cousins," Shelby adds. "Your dads don't have any brothers or sisters?" Shelby asks.

"Hiram's an only child. Leroy has a brother that lives in Chicago. We don't get to see him much," Rachel replies.

"I live in the same town as Kevin, and I don't see him very much. We're both busy," Shelby says.

"But Beth's staying with him when we go to New York?" Rachel asks.

Shelby nods her head. "Yeah. It's hard to travel with her. Besides, we're gonna be busy," Shelby replies.

"What are we doing?" Rachel asks.

"When we get there, we'll check into the hotel and then rehearse in the theater where we'll perform. And Nationals starts the day after we get there," Shelby tells her.

"How long is Nationals?" Rachel asks.

"Pretty much all day. There are fifty show choirs performing," Shelby replies.

Rachel's eyes widen in shock. "Fifty? Are they all really good?" Rachel asks.

Shelby shakes her head. "No. There are only a few that I see as real competition. Class Act is our biggest competition," Shelby tells her.

"Do you think they're better than us?" Rachel asks.

Shelby chuckles. "No. I've coached the show choir that won Nationals the last five years. I plan on winning again this year," Shelby replies.

Shelby's confidence catches Rachel off guard. Of course, Rachel knows exactly how many Nationals championships Vocal Adrenaline has won. And, she knows Shelby wants to win. She wants to win, too. But, she's not so sure that they will win. After all, it's only her first Nationals competition. As confident as Shelby seems, Rachel is nervous. And, Rachel gets even more nervous thinking that Shelby is used to winning. Shelby _expects_ to win. What if they lose? Rachel is worried that Shelby will blame her. She's afraid that she'll be a disappointment. She's the star. She's singing the solo. The solo she hasn't practiced since the accident.

Shelby wants to talk to her _daughter_. Not her _performer_. So, she tries to steer the subject away from show choir.

"Have you ever been to New York before?" Shelby asks.

"Yeah. My dads always take me to New York for my birthday. Instead of giving me presents, we go on a trip," Rachel replies.

"Do you always go to New York?" Shelby asks.

"When I was little, we went somewhere different every year. Now they let me choose, and I always choose New York," Rachel replies.

"So I'm guessing you've seen a few shows?" Shelby guesses.

With a nod, Rachel starts listing off the shows she's seen. It turns out that Shelby's seen most of them. The rest of dinner is spent comparing notes. They like the same musicals, the same actors. They're surprised at how similar they are. Who would have thought that liking Barbra Streisand is a genetic trait? After they discuss every musical they've ever seen, Rachel tries to decide what she wants to see on this trip to New York.

"Before we broke up, Noah and I were going to see a musical when we're in New York for Nationals. I think I'm gonna get tickets to a show as a surprise. I don't know if I should go with a classic or something I've never seen before. It would be kind of nice to see something for the first time together," Rachel says.

"_The Book of Mormon_ is supposed to be really good," Shelby says.

It's like they're finally on the same page. Rachel knows that Shelby wants to be her mom. And, as they sit around the kitchen table talking, it feels like Shelby is her mom. Rachel finishes her favorite food that her mother made for her. After dinner, Shelby does the dishes and Rachel goes upstairs. Taking Shelby's advice, Rachel opens her laptop and buys two tickets to _The Book of Mormon_. It seems so normal. It's like the earlier events of the day or even the past sixteen years never happened. Of course, the past is what shaped them into who they are. And, Rachel may have forgiven, but she hasn't forgotten.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed!


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